Spittin’ Chiclets Episode 621: Featuring Kevin Bieksa

Release Date: February 16, 2026
Hosts: Ryan Whitney, Paul Bissonnette, Rear Admiral, Producer Mike Grinnell
Guest: Kevin Bieksa

Episode Overview

This episode features a lively in-person discussion from Clearwater, Florida, with former NHL defenseman Kevin Bieksa (“Juice”) joining to share his Olympic experiences as a broadcaster in Milan. The crew mixes sharp NHL analysis with their trademark irreverence, covering Olympic hockey, locker room culture, behind-the-scenes anecdotes, pop culture bits, and a healthy dose of humor.
The main themes:

• Olympic men’s hockey tournament analysis and atmosphere
• Deep dive into players’ stories and performances (esp. McDavid, Celebrini, the Kachuks, McKinnon)
• The implications of best-on-best international hockey
• Broadcasting life and European oddities
• Classic Chiclets banter on travel, gym etiquette, and Valentine’s Day

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Olympic Hockey Atmosphere & European Life

• Hotel Life in Milan:
  • Bieksa describes the quirks of their hotel (single corkscrew for everyone, sharing with Team USA & special forces from Qatar).
  • [13:19–15:32] “I literally just got up to my room, changed quickly, went downstairs to the lobby to borrow the common corkscrew. There’s one corkscrew for the whole hotel... you have to explain what a corkscrew is to this really nice Italian guy or girl...” — Kevin Bieksa
  • Cultural differences: Coffee is solid, breakfast is great, but the vibe is laid-back and communal.
• Rink & Fan Experience:
  • Walk to the rink is like “cattle” in troughs; transportation logistics are wild between games.
  • Bieksa notes passionate fanbases: Slovaks, Swiss, Germans—all bring “soccer-style” chanting, whistles, and carnival energy.
  • [15:42] “The Slovaks have such an underrated fan base. These guys are wild.” — Kevin Bieksa
• Media Setups & Bathrooms:
  • Rinks double as massive hangouts for international broadcasters; bathrooms are unisex, and decorum is questionable.
  • “Our only bathroom is in the concourse, it’s a unisex... you follow a woman in on the left, dudes on the right—guys stalls got urine all over the seats..." — Bieksa [16:22–17:44]

2. Olympic Hockey Analysis

Tournament Structure & Stakes

• Talk of how the Olympic tournament differs from “Four Nations”—the group stage is softer, some favorites on cruise control till the quarters, but for smaller nations, every game’s a big deal.
• [20:01] “I think it’s a big deal to them... they’re just trying not to get embarrassed, make their country proud.” — Kevin Bieksa
• Example: Germany easing off before quarters; Drysdale’s minutes are managed.

Wild Individual Incidents

• Matthew Tkachuk “Bridesmaid” Taunt:
  • Tkachuk shadowed Leon Draisaitl, chirping him the whole game (“bridesmaid”)—panel agrees it’s great for hockey, adds spice, not “a disgrace.”
  • [21:09–21:41] “He just follows him around, chirping him, calling him a bridesmaid... would I personally do what Kachuk did? Probably not, but I don’t care... they’re so good for the NHL.” — Bieksa

McDavid & Team Canada

• The group marvels at how relaxed and physically intense McDavid looks at the Olympics after finally winning Four Nations.
  • [29:56–31:56] “I think honestly, winning Four Nations was a big relief for him... I think he was able to relax from there... He looked nervous at the start of the tournament. Now he looks happy and not stressed, which is when he’s at his most dangerous.” — Bieksa
• McDavid’s physical play is new (“running guys over”), attributed partly to playing with Tom Wilson.
  • [33:13] “Having Tom Wilson on your line, you probably think you’re three inches bigger and thirty pounds heavier.” — Bieksa

Macklin Celebrini’s Emergence

• Wide praise for Celebrini’s adaptability, maturity, and confidence at just 19.
  • Noted for “not deferring” to anyone—even beaver-tailing McDavid for the puck.
  • Comparing development systems and Rick Celebrini’s influence as a calm, non-hockey-obsessed parent and world-renowned physiotherapist.
  • [34:34–36:26] “He’s showing you how intelligent he is; [he] doesn’t defer to anybody... imagine a 19-year-old beaver-tailing the best player in the world when he has the puck. This kid believes in himself.” — Bieksa
  • [41:01] Paul on Macklin: “He’s probably doing everything specific... just like how Sid would go balls to the wall in every practice. It’s all firing.”

Team USA’s Outlook

• US has best/deepest defense in the tournament; top-pairing ice times for Hughes and Werenski are increasing.
• Eichel and the Kachuks’ line are praised for being hard to play against—“absolute dogs.”
• Larkin seen as a “key to depth”—important to third line.
  • [53:42] “Third line center is a pretty important position… Larkin’s the guy I’m looking at.”

Sweden & Coach Issues

• Discussion on Sweden’s drama: poor bench management, NHLers benched without explanation (OEL, Forsberg, etc).
  • [48:02] “Europeans, a lot of these teams, have coaches that only coach in their country…they don’t know the NHL, how to deal with NHL players… You don’t embarrass them.”

3. Behind-the-Scenes, NHL Legends & Training

The “Juice” Nickname Origin

• Multiple theories traded—steroids? Pineapple juice??
  • [27:21–28:56] (Real story): “I used to lose a lot of weight during the season, then gain it back in the summer… then [after the lockout year] everyone’s like, ‘Juice! Juice! Steroids!’” — Bieksa
  • The “pineapple juice” cover-story was invented to avoid awkward media questions.

Rick Celebrini’s Elite Training

• Bieksa gives a glowing, in-depth account of how Rick Celebrini (now with the Golden State Warriors) saved his career, preventing hip surgery through intense rehab.
  • Extensive talk on biomechanical retraining, rehab culture in hockey, and how that “mindful movement” was a game-changer for many athletes.
  • [36:59–39:03] “Give me 100 hours and a lot of times... if you just do the rehab, you don’t actually need the surgery...have never needed the surgeries.” – Bieksa
  • Classic Chitlets ribbing as the group teases each other over who saw Celebrini and his relatives for rehab.

4. Broadcasting Life & Locker Room Details

• Life as a broadcaster is hectic: triple-headers, socializing with legends like Lundqvist and Sundin, unisex bathrooms, military everywhere ("Qatar Special Forces doing lunges in the gym").

• Elliot’s gym etiquette criticized—debate over whether barefoot workouts are legit or “greaseball.”

  • [68:36] “I rolled into the gym the other day and I was barefoot, holding my shoes…and Elliot thought it was disgusting.” — Bieksa

• Light-hearted reporting on living with the American media, making do during tight travel schedules, and McDonald's runs in Italy.

5. Refereeing & Tournament Structure

• The group agrees officiating has stepped up—blending NHL and IIHF styles after a joint ref camp in Buffalo, NY.

  • [56:12–58:10] “They allowed the interpretation of the NHL officials to be dominant as far as contact... but any touching the goalie, it’s goaltender interference.”

• Big-picture question: Should the best-on-best tournaments have fewer teams for competitiveness (8 or 10 rather than 12)? Longing for NHL rules (allowing fighting, more physicality).

6. Notable Quotes & Fun Moments

On the Kachuks (Matthew/Brady)

• “They are so good for the NHL. They’re entertaining, they’re tough... there’s a rattiness to Matthew for sure. But he’s trying to win, I thought it was funny.” — Kevin Bieksa [21:41]

On Olympic Crowds

• “Slovaks have such an underrated fan base. These guys are wild.” — Bieksa [15:42]

On Macklin Celebrini’s Confidence

• “Can you imagine a 19-year-old beaver-tailing the best player in the world when he has the puck?” — Bieksa [34:34]

On the Juice Nickname

• “It was a way to belittle me, like, working out wasn’t even cool back then... so everyone called me Juice.” — Bieksa [28:23]

On Team USA’s Path to Gold

• “If they play Canada, they need to turn it into a street fight. If anybody can slow down Canada’s high-octane offense, it’s the US and those seven defensemen.” — Bieksa [63:21]

On Broadcasting Life

• “You follow a girl in [the unisex bathroom] on the left, the guys on the right... and there’s urine all over the seats.” — Bieksa [16:22]

On Italian McDonald’s

• “It was all in Italian—‘the 1955,’ ‘the 1983’—no idea what that means. We’ll find out though.” — Bieksa [32:27]

7. Classic Chiclets Banter

Travel Antics

• Whitney’s airport confessional: admits brazenly cutting “the entire line” at Logan Airport with his golf bag—and then chilling in the Delta Lounge with the stolen time.
  • “Not proud of this… I cut the entire line. Like, 175 people.” — [85:31]
  • Panel debates ethical travel, karma, and the awkwardness of airport life.
• Grinnell hides, eating pizza at 6:50am, hoping Whitney doesn’t see.

Valentine’s Day

• Whitney describes his “vet” flowers-and-card setup; Elliot forgets dinner, gets rescued by a Barstool connection.
  • “If you’re new in a relationship and you’re getting her an expensive present on Valentine’s Day…you’re out of your mind.” — [95:29]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:32] Intro, live from Clearwater, Florida, Olympics quarterfinals excitement
• [13:15] Kevin Bieksa joins from Milan; tales from the hotel, corkscrew debacle, Olympic vibe
• [15:42] Slovak, Swiss, German fans—the soccer energy at Olympic venues
• [16:22] Bieksa on Italian rink, media, bathrooms, postgame logistics
• [20:01] Olympic round robin/culture vs Four Nations intensity
• [21:09] Tkachuk-Draisaitl “bridesmaid” incident analysis, are antics good for hockey?
• [27:21–28:56] “Juice” nickname origin: steroids joke, pineapple myth debunked
• [29:56] McDavid’s renewed energy post-Four Nations, intensity boost
• [34:34] Celebrini’s poise as a young star
• [36:59] The Rick Celebrini segment: hip rehab, athlete development
• [48:02] Sweden’s bench drama with NHL players, European coaching culture
• [53:42] USA roster deep dive, Larkin’s importance to depth, third-line center role
• [56:12] NHL-IIHF referee camp, blending officiating styles for Olympics
• [58:35] Wilson-Fiala collision: breakdown of accidental injury, player empathy
• [63:21] What must USA do to beat Canada? Make it “a street fight”
• [68:36] Bieksa’s barefoot gym routine debate, Elliot’s revulsion
• [85:31] Whitney’s epic “I cut the whole airport line” confession
• [93:41] Valentine’s Day takes and mishaps

Conclusion

This episode is a classic Chiclets blend of sharp on-ice analysis, player storytelling, and off-ice color. Bieksa is an outstanding guest: equally adept at technical breakdowns (coaching, team Canada, Celebrini’s emergence), hilarious personal tales (bathrooms, gym culture, McDonald’s in Italy), and inside stories about hockey culture at the Olympics.

The panel covers why this Olympic tournament feels “best-on-best” in a new way, why toughness and personality (hello, Kachuks) drive fan engagement, and how training, mental health, and team roles shape success at the highest level.

Memorable Quote Board

• On NHL toughness:

  • “He looked like an idiot. He definitely made fun of me. Would I do what Kachuk did? Probably not. But I think it’s funny.” — Bieksa [21:41]

• On European fans:

  • “The Slovaks have such an underrated fan base. These guys are wild.” — Bieksa [15:42]

• On bare feet at the gym:

  • “I like to go through some of my workout stuff, like, barefoot. Elliot thought it was just disgusting.” — Bieksa [68:36]

• On best-on-best hockey:

  • “This is the best hockey we’ve ever seen, as far as speed and skill. We’re on a collision course. I hope we see it [USA-Canada].” — Bieksa [63:21]

• On “Juice” and Pineapple Juice:

  • “I started telling the media guys in Vancouver... yeah, like, I drink a lot of pineapple juice.” — Bieksa [28:37]

For Listener Reference

• Skip to [13:15] for the start of Bieksa’s main presence and Milan hockey talk
• All timestamps in [MM:SS] format (rounded to the nearest minute for clarity)

Skip the ads, soak up the hockey, and enjoy vintage Spittin’ Chiclets banter with a heavy dose of international flair.