Team Canada dismantled Czechia 5-0 in their opener this morning, and while the scoreline might look exactly how you'd expect when Canada plays Czechia, the details tell a more interesting story. This wasn't just a win — it was a statement about who this team is and what they're capable of.
Let's start with the obvious: Jordan Binnington got the start, ending days of speculation about John Cooper's goaltending plan. And you know what? We should all be pretty glad he did.
Binnington posted a shutout, looking every bit like the goaltender who stole the show at the 4 Nations Face-Off last February. He doesn't always show up — we've seen enough of his NHL season to know that — but when the lights are brightest, when the stage is biggest, this guy finds another gear. Today was a class A example of exactly that.
Turns out Cooper knew what he was doing all along. When asked when he decided Binnington would start at the Olympics, the head coach didn't hesitate: "Probably 358 days ago." That's about as clear an endorsement as you can get. Cooper saw something in February that convinced him Binnington was his guy for this moment, and through all the ups and downs of the regular season, he never wavered. Today proved him right.
Now, here's the thing everyone's going to talk about: Connor McDavid didn't score. But if you think that matters, you weren't watching the same game. McDavid picked up three assists, including a helper on the opening goal from Macklin Celebrini. And oh yeah, he also set the physical tone early with a hit that reminded everyone he's not playing regular-season hockey anymore.
"Our team wants to play hard, and everybody wants to play hard at this tournament," McDavid said afterward. "You want to be a hard, forechecking team. And it doesn't need to be just Willy or Benny or Marchy. It can be everybody."
That's captain talk right there, even if he's not the captain. McDavid doesn't need to score to dominate — three assists on opening night is pretty much perfect — but his message about the team's identity is what matters. This Canadian squad isn't just going to outscore you. They're going to outwork you, too.
And speaking of outworking people, let's talk about Macklin Celebrini. The youngest player at this tournament, a guy we weren't even sure would make the roster a few months ago, just scored the opening goal of Canada's Olympic campaign on the first line. With Connor McDavid feeding him the puck. If you're looking for a "pinch me" moment, that's about as good as it gets.
Celebrini has already started rolling, and it's honestly wild to watch. This kid is 19 years old, and he's producing. He belongs here, and he's making sure everyone knows it.
The depth scoring showed up too, which is exactly what Cooper wants to see. When you can roll four lines that all look dangerous, when you can get contributions from throughout the lineup, that's when you become really hard to beat over a tournament like this. Czechia found that out the hard way today.
Bo Horvat summed up the feeling in the room pretty well: "I'd fill up water bottles to be here." That's the mentality. Nobody's taking this for granted. Everyone understands what it means to wear that maple leaf at the Olympics, and you could see it in how they played today.
But let's keep some perspective here. This was game one against Czechia. Yes, it was dominant. Yes, Binnington was brilliant. Yes, Celebrini announced himself, and McDavid looked like McDavid even without scoring. But the tournament is still young.
Savour this moment, Canadian fans, because it'll pass fast. The games get harder from here. The opponents get better. The pressure builds. But if Canada can play like they did today — if Binnington can keep stopping everything, if the kid can keep producing, if McDavid can keep making everyone around him better — then we might be watching something special unfold.
For now, though? 5-0 feels pretty damn good. One down, and hopefully a lot more to go.