The 2026 Olympics in Milan are over, and Team USA is victorious. Canada got Silver, Switzerland took home bronze, and there’s lots to discuss about the success of the Americans and the downfall of the Canadians.
On this hockey edition of The IX Sports Podcast, Maya Smith and Alyssa Turner discuss the need for an independent coaching staff as Team Canada moves on from this loss. They also discuss the best American team ever created, and how Canada didn’t quite seem to have it this tournament.
“Not surprised USA won, surprised how they won,” Turner said. “In a sense, Team Canada looked the best they looked in two or three years. I haven’t seen them with that much fight. I haven’t seen them with that puck movement. I haven’t seen them block shots like that in years, and I’m shocked by the players that are putting their bodies on the line.”
Smith cited Canada’s veteran leadership as one of the team’s biggest strengths this tournament.
“In the gold medal game, I think we saw what the veteran presence from Canada brought until the last two minutes,” Smith said. “They were using that experience on the world stage to carry that game, and then even so, like, as you said, it was two veteran players who scored the two goals for the US as well.”
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Plus, the PWHL is back, so Smith and Turner break down one thing each team needs to focus on for the second half of the season. Smith also shared a recent interview with Vancouver goalie Kristen Campbell, who discussed her key focus for the Goldeneyes in the second half of the season.
Make sure to subscribe to The IX Sports Podcast for in-depth coverage of women’s soccer, hockey and basketball; and tune in each weekday morning for a quick overview of the biggest headlines on Women’s Sports Daily. The IX Sports Podcast, Hockey Edition, will now run weekly.
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