Slovakia Shocks, Sweden Controls — What Day 1 Taught Us About Olympic Hockey With Hitchcock and Zeisberger.
100% HockeyMentioned in this episode
Episode Notes
Day 1 of the Olympic men’s hockey tournament is in the books, and John Shannon is joined by Ken Hitchcock and Mike Zeisberger to break down what actually mattered.
The panel analyzes the performances of Slovakia, Finland, and Sweden, focusing on how teams adapted to the smaller rink and why controlling the middle of the ice immediately became the tournament’s defining factor.
They dive into:
Why Slovakia’s performance turned heads
Sweden’s composure and structure
Finland’s disciplined, system-driven approach
How rink size is impacting pace and spacing
The importance of goaltending and physical play in a short tournament
Lineup decisions and player rotations already shaping momentum
The conversation also turns to Canada and the United States, examining what adjustments they may need to make as the competition tightens and emotions rise.
