Best of The Herd

Patriotic Monday vibes from Chicago. USA hockey brought a divided country together again, outgunned for stretches yet unshakable, and our pros fought in their CBA to earn the right to be there. Canada poured on shots, but Conor Hellebuyck stood on his head, we survived the storm, and Jack Hughes iced it in overtime; not sure it grows the NHL, but it sure grew our respect for a sport that screams team first.

This was for our country. I love my teammates, Hellebuyck was our rock, and that was gutsy, proud, American hockey against a great Canadian team.

Celtics went into L.A. without Jason Tatum and never lost who they are; everyone defends, everyone competes, and even the Sam Hausers of the world make winning plays. The Lakers, meanwhile, lean on whistles and star power, fold when it gets rough, and mirror their lead guard’s habit of barking instead of getting back.

Jalen Brown’s keeping them steady and pushing the group forward; he’s taken a real leap and should be in the MVP talk.

Perfect guest today: Tony Granato, who’s lived USA Hockey from the bench and the ice; I love that NHL players on both sides fought to play internationally because it shows on nights like this.

Hockey players live for the rink; think Chris Chelios driving past a sheet of ice and jumping in just to skate. Guys demanded Olympic access in the CBA, then battled current teammates at full throttle, and the whole tournament showed off the sport’s heartbeat; proud we won, prouder of how both teams played.

Roster question: do you take a little less skill for more glue and special teams savvy?

That’s exactly what made the cut hard and the team right; Billy Guerin leaned into role players, the penalty kill was perfect, they tweaked a strong Four Nations core, added Quinn Hughes, handed Hellebuyck the net, and it all synced when it mattered.

Three on three in overtime—great theater or not real hockey?

I love it when you win and get why traditionalists push back; fans crave the pace and skill, and we all know the rules going in, just like when I lost a shootout in 2018.

Were you surprised Hellebuyck hit that level, or has he been this guy?

He’s been elite, a Vezina winner who learned from last year and owned this stage; great goalies calm a bench, and the U.S. can finally say we’re right there with Canada without whispering it.

Physical, tight, and the under hit like a drum; Tony, that was fun.

Quick hits on my right and wrong: Boston stays Boston without Tatum, driven by coaching and collaboration, and the Lakers brought in Dodgers exec Lon Rosen for fresh eyes. Dallas fell apart with injuries and Kyrie done, Giannis stayed put despite years of noise, the Dodgers’ star power is good for baseball no matter who fumes, Silver’s hunting tanking harder than I expected, the Cowboys flirting with another splash at running back feels on brand, and Mick Cronin got the message after that mid‑game ejection.

Chris Broussard joins: can Luka be the culture setter for a contender?

I love Luka’s brilliance, but ball‑dominant scorers are brutal to build around; you need defenders, rebounders, and quick‑trigger shooters, not a second high‑usage star. I’d pick Cooper Flagg as a foundation piece over Luka because he guards and fits a system; look at how Brunson blossomed once the ball wasn’t glued to Luka.

How do you see Boston’s rise without Tatum?

I’m shocked they’re this high in the East; Joe Mazzulla’s identity is crystal clear, shoot threes and guard like crazy, and Brown belongs near the top of the MVP board.

Bigger picture: are we churning out talent but not winning players compared to international pipelines?

Two big issues—our young stars are celebrities at fifteen and hard to coach, while overseas teens get humbled by pros and drilled on fundamentals; and we whipsawed from post play to all threes with no interior bite. The world plays the full game, inside and out, and if our 2028 group is all flash, we could get humbled.

What’s a fair read on the Knicks after those Detroit matchups?

Detroit’s toughness is a bad matchup for a finesse Knicks team; KAT has to play through contact for them to have a shot, and while they can hang with Boston and soft Cleveland, the East tilts toward Detroit’s edge.

New York needs more paint points and bench pop, and KAT will dazzle, then drift; Bruce, save a little juice before Nick Wright sends your blood pressure through the roof. Great stuff.