The Athletic Hockey Show — "Is Jordan Binnington the right choice for Canada’s Olympic opener?"

Date: February 12, 2026
Hosts: Sean Gentille & Dom Luszczyszyn
Featured Guests: Michael Russo, Haley Salvian
Main Theme: Breaking down Team Canada's Olympic opener and key storylines from the Milan Games, featuring roster decisions, standout performances, injuries, and tournament context for both men’s and women’s hockey.

Episode Overview

This episode of The Athletic Hockey Show dives into Team Canada's goaltending decision for their Olympic men's opener against Czechia and explores the early tournament narratives for both men's and women's hockey at the Milan Olympics. The hosts analyze intriguing matchups, the impact of surprise upsets, discuss star players and injuries, and provide insights from The Athletic's reporters on the ground in Milan.

Major Topics & Key Insights

1. Opening Thoughts & Olympic Excitement

(01:46–04:22)

• Hosts: Sean Gentille, Dom Luszczyszyn
• The show opens with enthusiasm for Olympic hockey, referencing Damian Clara's memorable but brief goaltending heroics for Italy against Sweden.
  • Quote (03:13):
    “He was standing on his head and roaming around the crease and doing all kinds of crazy stuff to keep Italy in that game against Sweden. It was memorable and it was fun.” – Sean Gentille

2. Team Canada’s Goaltending Decision: Jordan Binnington vs. Logan Thompson

(04:22–06:38)

• John Cooper chooses Jordan Binnington to start. Dom explains his initial skepticism, referencing Binnington's inconsistent season and Canada’s challenging group stage.
• Dom has softened his stance, given the tournament format and group play dynamics.
  • Quote (06:17):
    “As soon as 10:41 hits, I am a huge Jordan Binnington super fan. I hope he does well. I hope he makes me eat a whole platter of crow…But before the tournament, you have to have your concerns, and that was obviously the big one.” – Dom Luszczyszyn

3. Tournament Surprises & Context

(06:53–10:34)

• Slovakia’s upset over Finland is cited as a major story, shaking up group implications for all top teams.
  • Quote (10:15):
    “This is after years of the pesky Finns narrative…They don't know how to be favorite. They're supposed to be this gritty team and then you watch softer play as ever to defend that empty net. Not very cool.” – Mike Russo

4. On the Scene in Milan: Michael Russo’s Insights

(07:28–17:10)

• Russo covers physical tolls of Olympic coverage, reactions to early men’s games, and provides on-the-ground updates.
• The team discusses the importance of memorable versus consequential moments, like self-inflicted Finnish disappointment and the significance of the Slovakia upset.
• U.S. Men's lineup notes:
  • Clayton Keller as extra forward; Jack Hughes starting on the fourth line.
  • Injury/role management for stars like Hughes; possible line changes as tournament progresses.
• Women’s hockey:
  • U.S. Men's team is present and supportive at U.S. Women's games; Matthew Tkachuk compares Caroline Harvey's skill to Bobby Orr.
  • U.S. Women's star Caroline Harvey’s performance, connections to Hughes family.

5. Team Canada Line Analysis & Roster Depth

(14:15–17:10)

• Canada boasts Crosby, McKinnon, and McDavid distributed over three lines – possible "nuclear option" to combine them later.
  • Quote (15:25):
    “I mean, technically McKinnon's a third line player right now, and you just know…that just speaks to the depth that this team has.” – Mike Russo
• Discussion of role choices, like Brandon Hagel on McKinnon’s wing for physical/intangible balance due to John Cooper’s familiarity from Tampa.

6. Tournament Structure: Leverage, Upsets, and Experimentation

(15:46–17:10)

• Teams can afford to experiment with lines in group stage; losing one game is not disastrous.
• Hope for a U.S.–Canada men’s matchup in the medal round remains high but isn’t guaranteed by group alignment.

Women's Tournament Update: Marie-Philip Poulin’s Injury & Canada’s Struggles

(21:26–34:40)

7. Reporting from Milan: Haley Salvian on Women’s Hockey

(21:26–24:45)

• Haley discusses logistics, sleep deprivation, and quirky food struggles in Milan.

8. Marie-Philip Poulin’s Injury Impact

(24:01–27:59)

• Poulin’s lower body injury detailed; video was “difficult to watch” – optimism remains for her later-tournament return, but no rush to bring her back for preliminary rounds or even quarterfinals.
  • Quote (24:45):
    “The injury is not as bad as it looked…Canada is optimistic that we will see Poolin again at this tournament. The question…is just like, when that happens.” – Haley Salvian
  • Quote (27:13):
    “Bring her in to gear her up for the gold medal game. That's where we know she makes the big impact…as bad as the loss was on Tuesday for Team Canada…there's the huge asterisk which is, well, Poulin wasn't playing.” – Haley Salvian

9. Reaction to U.S. Dominance & Abby Murphy’s Influence

(28:08–32:50)

• U.S. beats Canada 5-0 in Poulin’s absence; Murphy dominates with skill and agitator role, drawing penalties and key assists.
  • Quote (29:15):
    “She is the master of the game within the game…Abby Murphy is so good at doing the little things to be like, here's where I'm going to add value. I'm going to piss you off so much that you are focused on cross checking me in the corner instead of getting the puck and exiting the zone.” – Haley Salvian

10. Declining Depth, Effort, and Leadership on Team Canada

(32:59–34:40)

• Haley criticizes Team Canada’s lack of response, leadership, and adaptation in Poulin’s absence.
  • Quote (32:59):
    “This is the first time that Canada's ever been shut out in the Olympic competition…It’s not just because Poulin wasn’t on the ice…They got completely out skated. And I don't want to say outclassed…they were outskated, they were outskilled.” – Haley Salvian
• Laura Stacey (Poulin's wife) cited as only player responding with appropriate intensity and drive.

Final Tournament Talk: Tactical Matchups and Predictions

(36:52–44:14)

11. Canada vs. Czechia Preview—Star Power vs. Structure

(36:52–38:44)

• Czechia’s top line (Hertl, Necas, Pastrnak) expected to log heavy minutes—Canadian defense will be tested.
  • Quote (37:57):
    “They have like three star players, one genuine superstar…that will be the big test for Canada is whether they can stifle that top line for sure.” – Dom Luszczyszyn

12. Goaltending Fears & Memories of Olympic Upsets

(38:44–39:25)

• Lucas Dostál (Czech goalie) considered the main threat—carries an “8 out of 10” fear factor.
  • Quote:
    “Eight. Eight. Pretty terrifying goalie.” – Dom
• Historic reference to Canada’s shock loss to Switzerland in 2006 as a warning not to overlook early games.

13. U.S. Men’s Team Roster Depth & Strength

(40:37–41:50)

• Jack Hughes on the fourth line noted as a surprise; U.S. defensive pairings (Sanderson/Werenski) provide unmatched depth.
  • Quote (41:42):
    “And to think that the third pair is now Zach, Korensky, Anderson. They've come up a long way and I think that's one of the reasons they enter this tournament as a co favorite.” – Dom

14. Germany and Denmark: Cider’s Major Minutes

(42:31–43:07)

• Moritz Seider expected to play ~30 minutes for Germany, anchoring their defense as they rely heavily on their NHL-caliber blueliner.

15. Closing Thoughts & Upcoming Content

(43:20–44:14)

• The show wraps with reminders about further live coverage—David Backes set to join for U.S. game post-mortem.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Binnington’s pressure:
  “As soon as 10:41 hits, I am a huge Jordan Binnington super fan. I hope he does well. I hope he makes me eat a whole platter of crow…” – Dom (06:16)

• On the Slovakia upset:
  “This is after years of the pesky Finns narrative…They don't know how to be favorite. They're supposed to be this gritty team and then you watch softer play as ever to defend that empty net. Not very cool.” – Russo (10:15)

• On Abby Murphy’s relentless impact:
  “She is the master of the game within the game…I'm going to piss you off so much that you are focused on cross checking me in the corner instead of getting the puck and exiting the zone.” – Haley Salvian (29:15)

• On Canada’s women’s hockey struggles:
  “This is the first time that Canada's ever been shut out in the Olympic competition…They got completely out skated. And I don't want to say outclassed…they were outskated, they were outskilled.” – Haley Salvian (32:59)

• On depth and possibility in men’s team structures:
  “Technically McKinnon's a third line player right now, and you just know…that just speaks to the depth that this team has.” – Russo (15:25)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Olympic Excitement & Italian Goalie Moment: 01:46–04:22
• Canada's Goaltending Debate: 04:22–06:38
• Slovakia’s Upset over Finland (Significance): 06:53–10:34
• US Men’s Lineup, Jack Hughes Role, Keller: 11:02–12:38
• Women’s Tournament — Support & Caroline Harvey: 12:38–14:15
• Canada’s Star-Laden Lines: 14:15–15:25
• Line Experimentation/Group Stage Flexibility: 15:46–17:10
• Women's Hockey: Poulin Injury Context: 24:01–27:59
• US Women vs. Canada: Abby Murphy Recap: 28:08–32:50
• Team Canada Women’s Response Critique: 32:59–34:40
• Canada vs. Czechia Matchup Preview: 36:52–38:44
• Goaltending Fears—Dostál: 38:44–39:25
• US Men’s Defense Pairings/Line Depth: 40:37–41:50
• Germany’s Moritz Seider: 42:31–43:07

Summary

This episode provides Olympic hockey fans with sharp, context-rich analysis of the most important narratives so far, highlighting the pressure points in Team Canada’s roster decisions, the evolving landscape after early upsets, and the intrigue of high-end talent in both men's and women's international hockey. Listeners get a vivid, inside-the-bubble feel direct from Milan with updates, storytelling, and strategic breakdowns—making this an essential primer for the Olympic tournament’s early stages.