Olympic Hockey Favorites Flex Early, Blackhawks History Remembered, and NHL News You Need
The Winter Olympics are off and skating, and the two heavyweights-Team Canada and Team USA-did exactly what you’d expect from tournament favorites: they dominated. Both squads opened with statement wins, setting the tone for what could be a collision course down the line. Meanwhile, women’s hockey heads into the quarterfinals today, and the action is heating up across the board.
Let’s break it all down and take a lap around the rink with the latest Olympic buzz, Blackhawks nostalgia, and NHL updates.
🇨🇦 Canada Starts Strong, But Injury Looms
Canada came out flying in their Olympic opener, blanking Czechia 5-0 in a performance that checked all the boxes. From top-line production to rock-solid goaltending, this was the kind of start that sends a message.
Macklin Celebrini, the phenom everyone’s been buzzing about, got on the board early. Veterans like Mark Stone, Bo Horvat, Nathan MacKinnon, and Nick Suzuki followed suit. Stone’s goal came off a slick setup from fellow Golden Knight Mitch Marner-Canada’s chemistry is already clicking.
Between the pipes, Jordan Binnington silenced some of the skepticism with a 26-save shutout. But not everything went according to plan.
Defenseman Josh Morrissey left after the first period and didn’t return. Head coach Jon Cooper is hopeful it’s nothing serious, but anytime a top-pairing guy goes down, it’s cause for concern.
🇺🇸 Team USA Rolls Past Latvia
Team USA looked every bit the contender in its 5-1 win over Latvia. The Tkachuk brothers wasted no time making an impact-Brady opened the scoring, and Matthew chipped in with two assists. Not to be outdone, the Hughes brothers (Jack and Quinn) each added a pair of helpers.
Brock Nelson led the way with two goals, including one that needed multiple reviews before finally counting. Tage Thompson and Auston Matthews also found the back of the net. Connor Hellebuyck had a relatively quiet night in goal, stopping 17 shots for the win.
The Americans could’ve run up the score even more-they hit two posts and had two goals overturned in the first period alone. If they keep generating offense like this, they’ll be a tough out for anyone.
🇨🇭 Switzerland Makes Early Statement
Switzerland might be flying under the radar, but don’t sleep on them. They opened their Group A campaign with a 4-0 win over France, and it was a complete team effort.
Former Blackhawk Philipp Kurashev picked up the secondary assist on the opening goal, and New Jersey Devils forward Timo Meier scored twice in a six-minute span to blow the game open. But the real story was in net-Leonardo Genoni turned away all 27 shots he faced.
At 38, he became the oldest goalie in Olympic history to record a shutout. That’s one for the record books.
🇩🇪 Germany Gets It Done
Germany closed out the day with a 3-1 win over Denmark, and it was Tim Stützle who stole the show. The Ottawa Senators star scored twice in the second period, while Leon Draisaitl added a goal and an assist to seal the win.
Philipp Grubauer, the Seattle Kraken netminder, was locked in-he stopped 37 of 38 shots and gave his team the backbone it needed to secure the points.
Today’s Olympic Hockey Slate
Plenty more hockey ahead today, including a marquee men’s matchup between Finland and Sweden, and a key Group A clash between Canada and Switzerland. On the women’s side, the quarterfinals begin with Czechia taking on Sweden and Team USA facing Italy.
Men’s Games (CT):
- Finland vs.
Sweden - 5:10 AM
- Italy vs.
Slovakia - 5:10 AM
- France vs.
Czechia - 9:40 AM
- Canada vs.
Switzerland - 2:10 PM
Women’s Quarterfinals (CT):
- Czechia vs.
Sweden - 9:40 AM
- USA vs.
Italy - 2:10 PM
🏒 Blackhawks Notes: History, Highlights, and a Nod to the Past
Behind the Scenes with Every Shift
The Blackhawks dropped Episode 4 of Every Shift, offering fans another inside look at the locker room, practice sessions, and the personalities driving this year’s team. If you’re following the rebuild-or just want to see the team culture up close-it’s worth a watch.
Rookie D-Men Rankings
David St.
Louis of Elite Prospects ranked the top 12 rookie defensemen in the NHL this season. Matthew Schaefer of the Islanders takes top honors, while Chicago’s own Artyom Levshunov also made the list.
You’ll have to dig in to see where he landed, but the recognition speaks volumes about his development.
On This Day in Blackhawks History
- 1992: Steve Larmer played in his 777th straight game with the Blackhawks, setting the NHL record for most consecutive games played with one team.
That’s ironman stuff.
- 1999: The Blackhawks spoiled the Maple Leafs’ farewell to Maple Leaf Gardens with a 6-2 win.
Doug Gilmour scored the game-winner against his old team, Bob Probert netted the final goal in the building, and Derek King-then with Toronto-scored the Leafs’ last goal at the historic venue. Fittingly, Chicago also won the very first game there back in 1931.
Blackhawks Birthday Roll Call - Feb. 13
- Cecil Browne
- Marc Crawford
- Everett Sanipass
- Sylvain Cloutier
🏒 Around the NHL: Trade Watch and Birthday Shoutouts
Trade Winds in Montreal
According to reports, the Canadiens are expected to shop forward Patrik Laine once the Olympics wrap up.
Laine’s only played five games this season due to core muscle surgery, and while he’s working his way back, his $8.7 million cap hit could complicate any deal. Montreal may need to retain some salary to make a move work.
NHL Birthday Roll Call - Feb. 13
- Gaston Gingras
- Mats Sundin
- Juha Ylönen
- Niklas Bäckström
- Todd Fedoruk
- Al Montoya
- Kaapo Kakko
The Olympic tournament is just getting started, but the intensity is already at playoff levels. With Canada and the U.S. both flexing early, and dark horses like Switzerland making noise, the road to gold is wide open-and full of storylines. Stay locked in.