Olympic Men's Hockey Preview: games, players, matchups to watch | Montréal Canadiens expectations

Locked On Canadiens kick off Olympic hockey fever with a men's tournament preview, spotlighting stars like Nick Suzuki (Team Canada), Juraj Slavkovsky (Slovakia), and Oliver Kapanen (Finland). Hosts Laura Saba and Ian Boisvert question Team USA's controversial roster decisions—can their defensive, grind-it-out style really win gold, or will offensive firepower from Canada, Finland, and Sweden dominate the Olympics?Key discussions include Group B’s fierce competition, sleeper picks like Slovakia and Switzerland, and pivotal matchups featuring Canadiens prospects. The episode examines Canada’s goaltending dilemma (Darcy Kuemper vs. Jordan Binnington), Suzuki’s projected shutdown center role, and potential medal-round surprises. Plus, trivia and community shoutouts keep listeners engaged as the world’s top hockey nations prepare for battle. Who will emerge as the ultimate Olympic dark horse?00:00 Locked On Canadiens: Olympic Preview04:25 Tournament Playoff Structure Explained07:34 Defensive Strategy in IIHF Play13:12 Canada's Olympic Goaltending Debate15:05 Canada's Tough Opener vs. Czechia21:56 Nick Suzuki's Team Canada Role24:37 Slovakia's Battle for Group Spot28:18 Fan Predictions and InsightsFollow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms…🎧 https://link.chtbl.com/LOCanadiens?sid=YouTubeLocked On NHL League-Wide: Every Team, Fantasy, Prospects & More🎧 https://linktr.ee/LockedOnNHL Find Locked On Canadiens anywhere:https://lintr.ee/LockedOnCanadiensAlso make sure to follow Locked on Canadiens and their hosts on Bluesky!Locked on Canadiens: https://bsky.app/profile/lockedoncanadiens.bsky.socialFind Ian on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/maybeitsian.bsky.socialFind Laura on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theactivestick.bsky.social#NHLHockey #MontrealCanadiens #Habs #nhl #nationalhockeyleague #canadiensmtl #canadiens Everydayer ClubIf you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonpodcasts.com/everydayerclubSupport Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!QuoMake this the year where no opportunity — and no customer — slips away.Try Quo for free plus get 20% off your first 6 months when you go to http://Quo.com/lockedonnhl.FactorHead to http://factormeals.com/lockedonnhl50off and use code lockedonnhl50off to get 50% off and free breakfast for a year. IndeedNow, you can speed up your hiring process with a $75 Sponsored Job Credit. Just go to https://indeed.com/lockedon right now and support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast. Terms and conditions apply.GametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDON for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Download Gametime today. What time is it? Gametime.FanDuelThe Winter Games are on. And there’s no better way to follow them than with a bet on FanDuel. FanDuel - Play your game.FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.