The Hockey Show: We Love The Olympics

The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
February 13, 2026

Overview

Broadcasted from the Elser Hotel in Downtown Miami, this episode of "The Hockey Show" dives headlong into the fervor and drama of the 2026 Winter Olympic hockey tournaments—men’s and women’s—celebrating the return of NHL talent, standout storylines, and the broader impact of the Games. With Roy Bellamy absent, David Zwerk, Ethan Bedowski, Rose, Gabe, and later ESPN’s Ryan S. Clark lead a lively, funny, and touching roundtable about hockey’s place on the world stage, the dominance of the U.S. and Canadian women, emerging young men’s stars like Macklin Celebrini, the occasionally smelly realities of fandom, and the evolving legacy of inclusivity and change in the sport.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Olympic Hockey Fever – NHL Players Return

00:30–03:00

• Ethan’s Olympic Enthusiasm:
  • Ethan confesses he's been glued to the Olympic coverage nonstop, overjoyed by the return of NHL players to Olympic competition.
  • “Just seeing NHL players back in the Olympics has been so amazing. I mean, I live for the Olympics personally.” – Ethan Bedowski [01:44]
• Big difference felt between the Summer and Winter Olympics, but both hosts agree that the hockey this year is particularly electric.

2. U.S. Women’s Hockey: On the Verge of Dominance

03:00–06:30

• American Women’s Impressive Run:
  • The U.S. women have allowed only one goal through four games—drawn immediate comparisons to dominant sports dynasties.
  • Goalie Aaron Frankel has been stellar, while Abby Murphy is “so much fun to watch.” [03:20]
  • “I feel like this might be the U.S. women’s year to really put their skates down and say we are the dominant nation.” – David Zwerk [03:30]
• History & Rivalry with Canada:
  • U.S. Women have won Olympic gold twice (1998, 2018), Canada dominates the rest, with these two nations always clashing in finals.
  • Their most recent head-to-head (a 5-0 U.S. win) is seen as a true shift, though Canada was missing superstar Marie-Philip Poulin (MPP).
  • “Right now, the United States is the dominant hockey country in women’s hockey. But... you have to win the Olympic gold medal.” – Ethan Bedowski [05:44]

3. Men’s Tournament: Smaller Ice, Bigger Hits, Young Stars

06:36–11:26

• Men’s Tournament Vibes:
  • The switch to smaller “NHL-sized” ice has made the tournament feel like the Stanley Cup playoffs: “A lot more physicality, a lot more checking.” – David Zwerk [06:36]
  • Opening games saw U.S. crush Latvia (5-1) and Canada dominate Czechia (5-0).
  • “The youth movement in the NHL is incredible… Celebrini is amazing.” – Ethan Bedowski [07:59]
• Macklin Celebrini Goes Global:
  • At just 19, Celebrini continues his trend of scoring in his first game at every level — from USHL to the Olympics. [08:51]
  • Panel worries media hype machine could overwhelm him, as with Sidney Crosby.
  • Rose’s Predictions: Canada for gold, Finland for silver, U.S. for bronze. Others think U.S. likely silver, Canada favored for gold, but with high hopes for the Americans.

4. Dark Horses and European Medals

09:57–11:26

• Eyeing Surprises:
  • Ethan bets on Germany as a dark horse, betting Leon Draisaitl could will them to a medal, supported by fellow NHLers like Stützle, Moritz Seider, and Lucas Reichel.
  • Others keep an eye on Switzerland and Slovakia as teams that could disrupt the “big four.”

5. The OHL’s ‘Stinky Fans’ Email Scandal

11:46–14:58

• Fan Hygiene Fiasco:
  • Oshawa Generals sent a message to fans urging better hygiene—causing an uproar and a sheepish apology referencing “watching/washing this one off.”
  • “Am I the stinky one? Was I the guy?” – Ethan [13:29]
  • Panel jokes about arena smells and the “trauma” of receiving such an email.

6. Olympic Ice Time Controversies

15:07–17:50

• Stat of the Week:
  • Canada’s coach John Cooper minimizing ice time for Florida Panthers players; Sam Reinhart on 4th line despite being a league scoring leader.
  • “What are we doing here? Sam Reinhart leads the league in goals over the last three or four seasons.” – Ethan [16:16]
• Some fans are glad their NHL stars get rested, others want to see them shine on the Olympic stage.

7. Puck Luck & Olympic Bets

17:54–19:05

• Picks for the week include:
  • Canadian women (-5.5) over Germany in quarters
  • U.S. men (-3.5) over Denmark
  • Slovaks (+2.5) vs. Sweden

8. Rose’s Olympic Recaps in Spanish (Rose Inun Minuto/Rose in a Minute)

19:05–20:59

• Rose delivers a passionate, fast-paced summary of U.S. men’s 5-1 debut over Latvia, underlying the 46-year U.S. men’s gold drought.

9. Wins & Fails of the Week

21:16–28:14

• Wins:
  • Ethan: U.S. women’s blowout over Canada—highlighting Hannah Bilka’s fiery play.
  • David: The historic moment of three Black women on the ice in one game (Lila Edwards, Sarah Nurse, Sophie Jacques).
    • “On the biggest stage that there is, showing everybody that hockey is in fact, for everybody.” – David [22:18]
  • Rose: A viral Spanish-language video.
  • Gabe: Italian goalie Damien Clara’s remarkable 46 saves in 46 minutes.
• Fails:
  • Ethan: Norwegian biathlete publicly apologizes to ex-girlfriend on TV after medaling.
    • “It’s humiliating. And shout out to her… Strong queen.” – Rose [26:40]
  • David: Canadian hockey players’ priceless, horrified faces during a speed skating crash caught on camera.
  • Rose: Her attempt at a viral trend involving breaking a glass falls flat—“I need a wand. So my wand didn’t work.” [27:31]
  • Gabe: Disallowed U.S. men’s hockey goal, questioning international crease rules.

10. Interview: Ryan S. Clark, ESPN NHL Writer

32:25–48:29

• Layla Edwards’ Historic Impact:
  • Ryan describes reporting on the first Black woman to play for Team USA, and the significance for fans, players, and future generations.
  • “We had never seen a Black woman play for Team USA before her. Now we see [her] at the Olympics. We could see a Black woman be part of a gold medal-winning team…” – Ryan S. Clark [34:43]
• Women’s Tournament Analysis:
  • U.S. women’s young core (Edwards, Murphy, Bilka, Harvey, etc.) vs. Canada’s aging leaders; Possible generational shift.
  • “Team USA came into this tournament with 13 players that are younger than 25 on the roster.” – Ryan Clark [37:29]
  • Predicts U.S. women could begin a dominant era, with Canada approaching an inflection point.
• On Picking a U.S. Standout:
  • Chooses Abby Murphy for her relentless impact and “waves” of U.S. talent.
• Men’s Tournament & Macklin Celebrini:
  • Celebrini praised by teammates Crosby and McKinnon for elite two-way play, work ethic, and rare maturity. Potential to break records as a 19-year-old.
    • “Everybody has something great to say about Macklin Celebrini.” – Ryan S. Clark [43:07]
• Medal Contenders Outside The Big Four:
  • Switzerland identified as the sleeper given improved NHL core.
    • “Do not be shocked if [Switzerland is] in a medal game or... on the podium outright.” – Ryan S. Clark [48:14]

11. Olympic Arena Construction – Not Quite Luxurious

48:30–50:28

• Milan’s rink/lodging situations are less than world-class: NHLers changing in trailers, taking golf carts to the arena.
  • “Can we do a little bit better for our players?” – David Zwerk [49:19]
  • Still, Team USA is praised for embracing the full Olympic athlete experience, mingling with others in the village.

12. Closing & Looking Ahead

• The panel notes that by next week’s show, the women’s gold medal will have been decided, and Roy will return.
• Final “thank yous” to the cast, guest, and even Percy the dog.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Ethan on Olympic Hockey:
  “Just seeing NHL players back in the Olympics has been so amazing. I mean, I live for the Olympics personally.” [01:44]
• David on U.S. Women’s Dominance:
  “I feel like this might be the U.S. women’s year to really, like, put their skates down and say we are the dominant nation.” [03:30]
• Panel on Representation:
  “On the biggest stage that there is, showing everybody that hockey is in fact, for everybody.” – David [22:18]
• Ryan S. Clark on Layla Edwards:
  “We had never seen a black woman play for Team USA before her. Now we see a black woman playing for Team USA at the Olympics.” [34:43]
• Rose on Making Predictions:
  “But talking about that, that’s why I have Canada as the winner of gold medal. That’s my prediction.” [09:18]
• Ethan on Panthers’ Ice Time:
  “Sam Reinhart leads the league in goals… He’s the best power play scorer in the league the last few years as well.” [16:16]
• Gabe on Olympic Goalie Play:
  “There has been some incredible goaltending…” [23:58]
• Ethan on Biathlon Apology:
  “It’s humiliating. And shout out to her for being like, yeah, no, not taking you back. Salute to her. Strong queen.” [26:40]
• Ryan Clark on Switzerland as Dark Horse:
  “Do not be shocked if they are in a medal game or… on the podium outright.” [48:14]

Important Timestamps

• U.S. Women’s dominance: [03:00–06:30]
• Macklin Celebrini/Olympic stars: [07:21–08:51], [43:07–45:46]
• Dark Horse debate: [09:57–11:26], [46:48–48:14]
• OHL fan hygiene story: [11:46–14:58]
• Stat of the Week—Canadian lines controversy: [15:07–17:50]
• Interview—Ryan S. Clark: [32:25–48:29]
• Wins/Fails of the Week: [21:16–28:14]
• Olympic infrastructure/locker room woes: [48:30–50:28]

Overall Tone and Takeaways

This episode balances exuberant fan energy, sharp and funny commentary, and thoughtful analysis on hockey’s past, present, and future. The crew’s playful banter—especially around the OHL’s “smelly fans” controversy and various on-air flubs—softens the edges of more pointed critiques, especially on Olympic infrastructure and coaching decisions.

Most importantly, the central theme is pride and excitement over the inclusive, youthful, and dynamic energy radiating from Olympic hockey this year—most notably through the rise of young stars and the historical significance of representation on the game’s biggest stage.

For Next Week

Look for a full recap of the women’s gold medal game, more Olympic hockey drama, and the return of Roy Bellamy!