Team Canada to begin Olympic men’s hockey tournament against Czechia
The moment Canadian hockey fans have waited 12 years for has finally arrived.
For the first time since Sochi 2014, National Hockey League players are set to play in the Olympic Winter Games. For Team Canada, they’ll also be looking for a first since Sochi: reaching the top of the men’s Olympic hockey podium.
“I think there’s some days that it feels like 12 [years] and other days it feels like yesterday,” said captain and two-time Olympic gold medallist Sidney Crosby. “It’s so great, though. I think there’s been a lot of anticipation ever since we found out we were going back to the Olympics, and then the naming of the team.
“So it’s just great to be with the guys and get out there and get to work, see the speed, and start to try to get better here and become a team.”
Canada’s quest for gold at Milano Cortina 2026 begins Thursday when they take on Czechia at 10:40 a.m. ET. It will be the first of three preliminary round games for Canada, who will also face Switzerland on Friday and France on Sunday.
Czechia is led by Boston Bruins forward David Pastrnak, who carried the country’s flag during Friday’s Opening Ceremony. While Czechia doesn’t have the roster depth that Canada has, the likes of Pastrnak, Martin Necas of the Colorado Avalanche and Tomas Hertl of the Vegas Golden Knights may make them a difficult out for teams at Milano Cortina 2026.
Czechia has often been a challenge for Canada at the international level, particularly at the IIHF World Junior Championship in recent years where the Czechs have earned at least one win over the Canadians in each of the past four tournaments. At the Olympic Winter Games, Canadians certainly remember Czechia’s semifinal shootout win over Team Canada at Nagano 1998, a tournament that saw the Czechs go on to win gold.
Canada defeated Czechia in the bronze medal game at PyeongChang 2018. In Milan, Team Canada will look to improve upon that bronze and their sixth-place finish at Beijing 2022.
“It was difficult,” Crosby said about NHL players not participating in the past two Olympic Winter Games. “You try not to get your hopes up too much, but you also had to be ready in case we did go.
“It was a bit of a rollercoaster. I am really happy we have the opportunity to come back here. It is an amazing experience.”
READ: 25 men’s hockey players nominated to Team Canada for Milano Cortina 2026
Canada has captured gold in three of the five Olympic Winter Games that have had NHL participation. The country’s most recent gold, at Sochi 2014, was highlighted by a dominant defensive performance.
36-year-old defenseman Drew Doughty of the Los Angeles Kings is the lone defenseman on Canada’s 2026 Olympic roster that played in Sochi. Doughty will be joined on the backend by Cale Makar (Colorado Avalanche), Devon Toews (Colorado Avalanche), Josh Morrissey (Winnipeg Jets), Thomas Harley (Dallas Stars), Colton Parayko (St. Louis Blues), Shea Theodore (Vegas Golden Knights) and Travis Sanheim (Philadelphia Flyers).
“It means so much,” Doughty said about returning to the Olympic Winter Games. “It has been so long since the last one.
“That is all you think about when you come here, but you put that on the back burner and try to think about the game at hand and the period at hand. That is just the way she goes.”
Crosby, who was once again named captain of Team Canada on Monday, is the only other Canadian with Olympic experience. The 38-year-old, like Doughty, played at both Sochi 2014 and Vancouver 2010. Crosby has five goals and five assists in 13 career Olympic games, none bigger than his golden goal in Vancouver.
Canada’s leadership group will also include Makar and Edmonton Oilers forward Connor McDavid, both of whom will be alternate captains. McDavid leads the NHL in points this season with 93 and is followed closely by Team Canada teammates Nathan MacKinnon (Colorado Avalanche) and Macklin Celebrini (San Jose Sharks).
Canada’s first couple practices saw McDavid on a line with Celebrini and Tom Wilson of the Washington Capitals, creating a trio that features speed, skill and toughness.
“Yeah, it was fun. You know, obviously very different players, but great players in their own way,” McDavid said of the combination. “Obviously Macklin (is a) great player, putting up lots of points and doing a lot of really good things in San Jose, and obviously Wilson with his size and speed and physicality.
“Definitely a good blend of different things, and together I think we’ll make a good line.”
There have been two injury replacements since Canada’s original roster was announced on New Year’s Eve. Tampa Bay Lightning forwards Anthony Cirelli and Brayden Point have been replaced by Sam Bennett of the Florida Panthers and Seth Jarvis of the Carolina Hurricanes.
Both Bennett and Jarvis were part of Canada’s roster at last year’s 4 Nations Face-Off, a tournament that saw the Canadians defeat the United States in the championship game. Much of Team Canada’s roster played together in that tournament and they’ll look to replicate that success in Milan.
The men’s hockey tournament will take place February 11-22 with games being held at both the Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena and the Milano Santa Guilia Ice Hockey Arena. Team Canada will play in Group A with Switzerland, Czechia and France. Group B will feature Finland, Sweden, Slovakia and Italy while Group C will include the United States, Germany, Latvia and Denmark.
