Episode #20 - Dr. Scott Henderson

[MUSIC] What's up everybody? This is Ross Jackson, one of the hosts of the Lockdown Podcast Network. And if you haven't heard yet, we started a club and we would love for you to join. It's called the Everydayer Club. And one of the things that you get as a member is an ad-free version of the podcast that you're listening to right now. It works with whatever podcast app you already use, same episodes every day, just no ad. There's also a member's only group chat for fans of your team, plus a lot more. You can check it out by tapping the Everydayer Club link in the show notes. [MUSIC] The Men's Olympic hockey tournament is now underway. We'll talk about some of the early games including Canada and the United States. All that more coming up on today's Lockdown and HL Squad Show Olympic edition. [BLANK_AUDIO] You are talking puck with the NHL Squad Show. From the Oilers to the Stars, Golden Knights and the Panthers, the Rangers, Avalanche, and yes, even the Maple Leafs. The Lockdown Podcast Network brings together all its local experts to provide the hoops, breakdowns, and comprehensive looks at all the NHL with plenty of trash talk to go with it. Don't miss the hard hits and love dropping hot takes on the Lockdown NHL Squad Show. It's time to drop the puck. [MUSIC] Welcome everybody to today's episode of the NHL Squad Show Olympic edition. I'm Gil Martin from Lockdown Islanders. I am joined by David Morrisoudi from Lockdown Least, Zach Berman from Lockdown, New Jersey Devils, and Ian McLaren of Lockdown Boston Bruins. Today, as we talk about everything going on now in the Olympic hockey tournament, I want to thank everyone who makes the Lockdown NHL Squad Show your first listen today. And don't forget to subscribe to Lockdown NHL on YouTube or wherever you listen to podcasts. So you never miss an episode and thanks for helping to make Lockdown the number one sports podcast network. We've had the first games of the men's tournament so far now getting underway. And let's start with two countries that are not considered local right now, Finland and Slovakia, and what your thoughts are on that first match there. It's been surprising. Looking like it was going to be a pretty tight game and now all of a sudden, Finland just falls apart in that third period. I mean, I know coming into it, we didn't really give Slovakia their due as much just because Finland has such, they had more of the start talent, but it's Lovkovsky. I mean, you get a lot of credit because he's had his ups and downs during his time with the Canadians. And I think, you know, that was a bit of a, you know, a statement game for them to say, hey, don't forget about Slovakia here. We got, we got the opportunity to give some teams a tough run in this tournament. Yeah, I really felt the NHL dropped the ball last year by not including Slovakia and Czechia in the four nations face off, especially with games being played in Montreal. He should have been playing on home ice games, being played in Boston, featured David Poschenok on home ice. I don't know where it is about Slovakia, but he just elevates his game at the Olympics. He was incredible at the previous Olympics and really raised his stock, kind of helped him to become the number one overall pick. He kind of made a Bruins defenseman look pretty silly and Henry Okihar, you on that opening goal that he scored, that really set the tone. And yeah, I could see him being a real breakout performer in this tournament for sure. His countryman Simone Nehmec first line minutes and he was, he's like a running back in football. The more you play him and the more responsibility you give him the better. At least that's just what we've seen from him in New Jersey, but he was phenomenal on both ends yesterday. No doubt he had his moments and really did shine. What does this mean? We talked a little bit about what this does for Slovakia, but how does Finland respond to this? That's a real good question because this is a team that I think they had a little more pressure on them going into this tournament where you know, again, you got some start talent there. You have some guys who have also had some, you know, some tough seasons like UC Soros. To me, I think I'm going to be a lot of pressure on this guy because he hasn't been playing up to his, you know, the caliber that we've expected from him, even at the NHL level. So if I'm Finland, that's probably the first question I have is, is UC Soros going to have to be, you don't have to be some question marks about whether or not he's the guy to carry this going forward because it's not a good, not a good start for him. You know what, I was going to bring that up as well. Boston Bruins, Goldtanner, Unis Corbisalo is a late addition to team filling because you could look at that in Buffalo. If you're looking at how the goalies were playing, heading into this tournament, Corbisalo actually had a pretty fantastic the end of the year and that's one of the reasons why the Bruins are back in a playoff spot because that tandem of Corbisalo and Jeremy Swamin had been playing very well. Like near top of the NHL, safe percentages at 5 on 5. I mean in a short tournament like this, you can't afford to just go with the reputation guy. You got to take some chances and you could either go with Kevin Lankanen as the backup or go with the guy who was playing pretty well heading into the tournament and give Corbisalo a shot. I mean, it can't hurt and Saros just isn't the same guy that he used to be playing for them. Those guys need to have the confidence to go out there and create some offense. They can't be worrying about any shot going in the back of the net and being down. So whatever gives them the most confidence that they got to run with that I think. I mean I am so intrigued to see what Finland Sweden's going to look like tomorrow because the Swedes didn't exactly have the easiest of paths yesterday getting by the hosts and we'll say Saros is a veteran who's having a rough season. The Swedes are going with Jacob Markström tomorrow who's a veteran probably having the rough season out of any big name goalie in the national hockey league. So you have a Guadan Finland that got slapped in the face out of the gate against the Swedes who realistically probably should have won yesterday's game by a lot more than they actually did. But it feels a lot more dire and a lot more do or die perhaps than I think either country may be expected tomorrow's game to feel on both sides because the loser of tomorrow's game is going to be going oh boy. I really wish that game wasn't a 6-10 Eastern start either. That one should be featured at least in the morning. Come on that's a bit too early. This is at the Nagano games where Neil and with here. Ice time is tough to come by in Italy now I guess. Yes. Oh yeah. Yeah. The time difference is always difficult. I mean now you got, as you mentioned Finland Sweden is going to be so meaningful for those two teams and you got that built in rivalry as well. I mean which team do you think comes out more desperate? I think you know what I mean you got to go with with Finland because they lost their first game. I don't think anybody if I remember correctly the format set up where everybody kind of advances. There's like a play in game to the quarterfinals. So your path just gets harder the worse you do in the round robin but man you can't go to go into to start the tournament and feel like you have the best shot at it. So I would think the pressure is more on Finland although Sweden only 5-2 against Italy nobody really saw that coming too. So you're going to bet they're going to be wanting to make a statement to show that they belong with Canada and USA among the gold medal hopefuls their favorites at the very least. Yeah I would say like the thing for Sweden like the pressure for them is just you let Italy stick around with you for so long like Finland is going to be they're going to come out desperate because they know that they dropped the game that was winnable for them until their period. So they're going to be they understand that they cannot allow Sweden to get on them early. They're going to come out hard and I think when especially Finland that's such a big rivalry for them the game Sweden like that's that's their biggest rival. So those games always a little extra pep in the step and I do think that there's going to be some players like Miko Rantin and like I'm expecting him to have to step up a bit more as a leader on this team to really you know especially getting Sweden there's so moment in so many places like you need someone to step up and as you said like you can't play timid you have to go look at all these other top teams they're not they're not sitting back they're full steam ahead in this term so you have you have to expect you're going to be seeing a little bit of that in this game. Is there other than is there another dark horse that has emerged in these early games so far? I thought the checks would be a darker horse than they are. Lucas Tostal is good enough to steal a game versus anybody. The problem is is outside of their top line of Marty nature, Tomas Hurtle, David Poster, the depth drop off is a bit of a twist and ridiculous and I mean the checks hung in there for a little bit, but Canada was just too much to monster. I really don't think this year we're going to have a crazy dark horse outside of the four names, the top obviously Russia would have been the fifth, but I like what I saw from the game. They might be the closest thing we have to that team. Only one thing is Switzerland. That pesky team that if they get a good goal tending performance like, look, you got Roman, you'll see pretty good hockey player, right? They got, you know, they do have like teamomire. They got names on that team. France, not exactly the biggest test. So I and Canada knows I can't talk to a lot of the game. They gave Switzerland quite a bit of credit, maybe a little bit too much credit. I know, but I think if there's a team that can pull off an ups and that I've seen it. I've lived it 2006. I remember that game. Yeah. Switzerland is very much capable of a of a shocking, a shocker, but it's going to be tough. Like, you know, people say all let's see if they can do it against Canada. This team Canada ain't going to make it too easy on. I was going to mention Switzerland to you. I mean, they are always you kind of look at them as like the old who's the most underrated player in the NHL discussion. It was always Louis Eric said it to the point where he wasn't underrated anymore. That's kind of like Switzerland on the international stage. Like they always seem to. To just be right in the mix. And it was I thought I was interested in their opener. They went with. A guy had never heard of Leonardo Genone and net. And I guess they're keeping the NHL goalie that they have on the roster. Kind of fresh for the Canada game in a CUESHMED who's played pretty well. So far this season for for Vegas. So. I thought yeah, checks with DOSCHTOL that a chance to surprise. I think the same with the Swiss with with Schmieden that I think he's the guy that can really steal a game on the international stage. Although I don't know if. After today's game for Canada, I really can't see anybody beating them the way that they played today. But we'll see. I think Germany might be that dark horse if anybody just because nobody outside of those. Typical favorites has a top center who can drive a entire game as much as Germany does with Leon dry side. I want to have him and Tim Stutzle running the shots like. That's a that's a squad I would not want to get into. Into a track me with. Yeah. Oh, I mean, God, what do you have more you cider on the back end to you got peterca like they they got good town like that's a team that's an emerging is just. We haven't seen it all come together for them and they had a pretty. Yeah, I mean, what a great game they had to start things off, but it's going to one game is not going to be enough. They're going to have to really show it against some really quality opponents. Yeah. It's going to be interesting and going to be a lot of great hockey ahead, but. We have a lot more to discuss. We'll talk a little team Canada a little team USA is those two squads made their first games in this Olympic tournament. We'll have that coming up next on the NHL squad show Olympic edition. New year new systems. This is the time when a lot of us look at the messier parts of how we run our business and think there has to be a better way. And there is streamlining your communications is one of the quickest upgrades you can make. And that's why today's episode is brought to you by Quo Spell Q U O. The smarter way to run your business communications because when your team is reachable, organized and communicating in one place, you're not just working cleaner. You're creating more opportunities to connect with customers. Your whole team can call on text from one shared business number. So nothing gets missed. Everyone sees the full conversation thread, which makes replies faster and more personal. And it works right from your phone or computer. You could even keep your existing number. It's no surprise that Quo is the number one rated business phone system on G2 trusted by more than 90,000 businesses from solo operators to growing teams. Make this the year where no opportunity and no customer slips away. Try Quo for free plus get 20% off your first six months when you go to Quo.com/lockdown NHL. That's Q U O.com/lockdown NHL. Quo, no miss calls, no miss customers. All right, guys. Team Canada, they got their first game going and as you alluded to, they looked pretty darn good. What were some of your key takeaways? Ian, let's start with you this time from team Canada's big first game. Yeah, I think David mentioned it earlier, like the Canada's set in the tone both offensively and physically. Like in the early minutes of that game, we saw a car McD David level a big hit in the offensive zone. Nathan McKinney was out there like these guys seem like men on a mission for sure. And it's just the biggest question coming into this tournament for Canada was the gold tending Jordan Bennington. We talked earlier about guys who haven't been playing up to scratch this season in the NHL. He's one of the worst gold tenders in the NHL this season comes in post a shout out against a checky a team that, you know, a lot of people thought what surprise. So just top to bottom. They're just so formidable. I know I'm biased as a Canadian, but it's just crazy to see the oldest player in the tournament continuing to dominate. And then you got the youngest guy in the tournament and Macklin celebrating making his impact felt early on with the opening goal. He had a couple other opportunities. All four lines were rolling. I guess the one concern was Josh Morrissey left the game due to injury. So they'll have to call on Travis Sanheim, I think is their next man up. I don't know if you heard that's a bit of a problem, but I mean, I expected a bit more from check yet. David Posternaq played all right, but held off the score sheet, obviously, they're missing Pavozaka, which is a big hole for them to fill. But Canada, I mean, it's hard to see anybody really beating them in this tournament to be honest the way they look today. I would agree with you. I think the Morrissey thing is pretty significant just because without Josh Morrissey, I think the one area where the US really has a leg up on Canada is at the blue line. Because Sanheim is a he's a vet. He's good. It's not great. I wonder if the Canadians could have potentially gone a different way and you keyed on it a little bit, but the thing that stood out to me the most was back on celebrity is I think the most acceptable term. Just to see him hanging with the big boys. It's not even a drinking age yet. I mean, he's some part. I think he is. Canada, he is for sure, but not in the States, but look, when you can run the forward, the forward pairings that Canadians can, there was a tweet that went, went big. It's we're talking biblical levels of greed seeing McKinney to McDavid to cross be on the power play and then running out kale McCarr is the top. But don't take that. Don't take penalties against Canada. Like please don't. Yeah, I mean, that's the thing, right? And you brought up you and it's not just the skill. Like right off the hop, Carmichael is like, I want to just absolutely crush somebody in the corner. We don't do that all the time, the NHL. This is what it means. Like it was just like, ball of the, this is bottle up for these guys for so many years, and then they just kind of exploded, right? And I just like the fact that Canada came into this game thing, like this is business. We're not going to play around here. We're going to go right off the hop show everyone who we are. And the other part of this too is the guys that maybe were put on this team and you're like really like Bo Horvath. Unbelievable goal he had like him winning. He says I would I would fill the water balls if it meant being on this team. Like these guys, like, but you know, like these guys weren't just put on this team because they can do some of the small things like they can contribute in so many different ways. Mark Stone, I know a lot of people were bringing up him like he's always injured and he's older and it's like Yeah, he can also score some pretty good goals too. They him and Marner the chemistry there Sydney Crosby's your third line center. It's just absolutely criminal and You know the Ethan McKinnon should have probably had a goal Another goal in this game, but that was taken back by a questionable penalty call so like That's just the thing is Canada's got just so many ways that they can beat you and you know everyone was talking about the goal tending and This is gonna prove once again. It doesn't matter who's in nephro canna like even like 2014 You can have had anyone you had generational Kerry price and net but like Canada Doesn't really need to worry about who's in goal when you have players who can play All over the ice like like they do they're responsible defensively and they can still push the pace like John Cooper's like Let's just play in the other end. We don't need to worry about defending when we can just have the puck in their opponent's own for However long we need to so yeah, I mean look check Yeah, I expect a little bit more but you just see the depth of talent wasn't there to go up against the Canada We'll see as the tournament goes along and they get tested a bit more against teams to have a bit more of the Breast along and the depth to go toe to toe and Matt and match things up a little bit better and Yeah, I mean Canada has to be pretty happy that you know Other than the more C injury there weren't any glaring issues that you could point to in this game Yeah, I think I saw a stat where McDavid had more attempts on net than check you had scoring chances like he was unreal all over the ice You mentioned the new guys on the team to like Nick Suzuki who had that penalty called on him to wipe out that McKinning goal he scored later on It pains me to say it but as the Canadians captain he is like I was able to to cover him watch him win the OHL champion MVP when the golf storm won in 2019 this kid He has so much talent so much leadership just to be able to add him to the mix is It's just an embarrassment of riches and Makes you wonder like That trade Max Patrick if years ago if Vegas had Mariner stone and Suzuki that would probably be the best best line in the NHL right now Yeah Canada so stacked in and to be able to add those younger guys to the mix just makes them even more dangerous And they didn't even add Matthew Schaefer The wings for four years from now right I mean unbelievable all right We have got more to get to team USA also had their first game We're going to talk about that and more coming up on the NHL squad show Today's episode is brought to you by Fandall the winter games are officially here And if you're anything like us you're locking in for events that you only get to see on the biggest stage once every Four years and that's why the winter games on Fandall just make sense from metal counts to individual events to finding your Angle on the sports you care about most Fandall gives you more ways to stay connected to the action the drama of curling matches that start slow and somehow get Intense fast speed skating races that are decided by inches or millimeters Hockey games that feel different right from the opening face off even niche events become must watch When you're fully locked into the competition Fandall keeps the entire Olympic experience engaging from start to finish the winter games are on and there's no better way to follow them than Fandall Fandall play your game All right guys team USA also had their first game looked pretty darn good against Latvia What stood out exact to you most about team USA? I mean before we get before we get things going oh mama don't you cry? Okay, I had to get that out of the way now with that being said It was the fourth line There was a lot of Needless to say controversy about Oh Brock Nelson on this team JT Miller on this team Why is Jack Hughes on the fourth line They were the best offensive line by far for the Americans today Like Brock Nelson and Jack Hughes look like they've been playing together their whole lives which is crazy because Brock Nelson looks like he's 60 Yeah, it's kind of crazy when you see a jack Hughes on the fourth line and He looked way better. Obviously four nations didn't go so well for him and I think like What didn't know if the US want to go far in this tournament? They're gonna need a guy like Jack Hughes to be not on the fourth line at some point I think it's nice to have them you know the that death but I think he's got a lot more to give to this team I think you probably are gonna see him move move up at some point But I mean also the Quinn Hughes factor like they didn't have Quinn Hughes last year When you have a Quinn Hughes on your team you're gonna be a better team and it showed I think maybe team USA is gonna have to learn a little bit about the rules and the in the WIA chef With when it comes to goal players in the crease because we know they like to play that Tough as nail style getting in the kitchen all that stuff, but double HF. I mean look As a Canadian and watching those goals get called back but then the goal against Canna the other day not get called back It just goes to show that the International fish ain't still has some kinks to work out So I'm sure I'm sure the US are gonna realize okay We can play tough but we have to be there's some areas going to have to work on there But I mean who that's a team that looks ready to go You know guides who probably Either were missing from the last year's tournament or didn't have their best performance They know that they got a they got to get off to a good start here and they certainly did today Yeah, I mean the lot has been made of JT Miller of this intro check being on the team Instead of guys like Jason Robertson or Cole Caughfield And you could kind of see why in today's game Talking about like the toughness how hard they play I think Chris Cuthbert mentioned it on the Canadian broadcast where Those two Rangers specifically were brought in for kind of that penalty killing expertise as well So you're kind of balancing out that toughness with a couple guys who Will be out on those on the ice in those key moments whereas if you had Robertson Caughfield obviously would add to the talent level But if you're getting into penalty trouble or it's a physical game maybe those guys are kind of lost in that mix so Team USA looks so good so deep On the blue line. Yeah, they probably have the better Blue line top to bottom if you can roll out like Quintiou's Zachoransky, Charlie McAvoy As you're like your top three guys getting the most minutes here in a pretty good spot Connor Hellbuck You know he's had his struggles this this year as well, but he's the reigning MVP, Vesna trophy winner Um, it feels like it's a Canada USA kind of on a collision course That's what everybody wants in the in the gold medal game and really through the first games for every country I don't think there's any reason to to doubt that that's kind of where we're headed in this tournament Were you guys at all surprised by the physicality that we've seen so far? I mean We saw it at the four nations a year ago, but historically the Olympics are not quite as physical as let's say NHL hockey Are you surprised at the physicality? No, not the slightest these guys have been waiting what well-fiers Be back on this stage in this moment If you're a fan you've been shopping at the bit imagine if you're You play the sport for a living of course you want to go out represent your country kick the crap out of whoever stand and next you on the ice like Maybe it's just the evolution of the sport and maybe the Days the Olympics being more finesse oriented might just be I Don't want to say completely over but evolving And they said on the broadcast too like on you know the Canadian broadcast talking about how the ioc and the international hockey wants to get a little more to the North American style where physicality is more Accepted especially in the men's tournament where you saw some you saw some hits you saw some stuff happening Just like all right. These are NHL playoff prison rules happening right now. Yeah, I think you know It's good that they're if like that's way it's gonna be called do it right off the hop don't you know Don't be flip flopping back and forth now. I'm hoping that the Whatever has been accepted as a level of okay. We're allowing the stuff to happen It doesn't change as the tournament goes along because it's so hard once you dial it up to dial it back Yeah, right. So that's my only concern with that But I mean look I think if you see how these teams are sending the tone now I think it's good. I think four nations brought that out a lot of player a lot of teams last year And I think this only I think I'm sure a lot of the official officials were brought and say look These guys are, as Zach said, these guys have been waiting for this for a while. So don't be going out with the whistles on a penalty break, because it's going to be a long, long day for everyone. So I just hope that the way it's been officiated doesn't change, because that's going to be very frustrating to watch if the standards change. And the physicality, too, this might be where the kind of shorter ice surface comes into play. Like guys are forechecking. There may be not letting up as they used to, because they're used to having a few extra inches to play at the puck. Maybe they're coming in a bit quicker than they used to. That could be a real factor as well. And I'm not surprised about the physicality. You've seen some kind of questionable hits already. The Austin Matthews taking a hit to the head in the USA Latvia game. Some guys taking a few liberties here and there, but I think unlike the four nations, where there was actual gloves dropping, like we know that's not going to happen. But guys are going to have to really reign today in terms of potential hits to the head or boarding penalties, stuff like that, which could really, like a major penalty in this tournament, could really turn the tide of a game. So you got to be really cautious about that for sure. No doubt. Look, I think the key is consistency with officiating whatever the standard is. It should stay the standard. So the players know what to expect. Fans know what to expect. And we get an even fair quality of officiating throughout the tournament. Well, if you haven't already, go check out our new every day or club. You get access to ad free audio for your favorite NHL team, compatible with Apple podcast, Spotify, and every other major podcast app. And you'll get an invite to the members only locked on every day or club discord server, which includes a group chat just for listeners of your favorite teams show. So check out the link in the show notes for more information about the every day or club. Check it out today. I want to thank everyone, David Marisuti from Locked on Leaves, Zach Berman from Locked on Devils, and Ian McLaren from Locked on Bruins for joining me today. Gil Martin, we will be back tomorrow with another episode of the lock on NHL Olympic Squad Show. Thanks for watching and listening everyone. Have a great day and now we'll see you tomorrow.