Olympic Preview: Canada vs. Czechia (Men)
Thursday, February 12 | 10:40 a.m. ET | Milan, Italy | Preliminary Round
February 12, 2026
GAME NOTES: CANADA VS. CZECHIA (FEB. 12) (https://cdn.hockeycanada.ca/hockey-canada/Team-Canada/Men/Olympics/2026/downloads/2026-olym-game-notes-can-cze-feb-12.pdf)
Is this the most anticipated men’s hockey tournament ever? After a 12-year hiatus, National Hockey League players finally return to the Olympic Winter Games when Canada's Men's Olympic Team opens preliminary-round play Thursday against Czechia.
How We Got Here
Canada unveiled its 25-player Olympic roster on New Year's Eve, selecting a group that included 19 players who helped Canada claim the 4 Nations Face-Off championship a year ago and two players—Sidney Crosby and Drew Doughty—with Olympic gold medals on their résumés.
A pair of injury replacements were announced in the final week before players departed for Milan—Sam Bennett took the place of Anthony Cirelli, and Seth Jarvis got the call in place of Brayden Point.
The roster is not short on international experience; in addition to the 19 players back from the 4 Nations Face-Off, 17 have suited up for Canada's National Junior Team at the IIHF World Junior Championship and 18 have played for Canada's National Men's Team at the IIHF World Championship.
Last Meeting
The Canadians and Czechs last clashed at the Olympics in the bronze medal game at PyeongChang 2018. Andrew Ebbett and Chris Kelly scored two goals apiece, Kevin Poulin finished with 30 saves, and the Canadians survived a track meet in the third period—when the teams combined for six goals in just over 12 minutes—to leave South Korea with a little bit of hardware thanks to a 6-4 win.
More recently, Canada faced Czechia in the prelim finale at the 2024 IIHF World Championship. That game went to the third period scoreless before both teams went wild—the Canadians and Czechs combined for six goals in the final frame, including two in the final 3:04 by the Europeans, before Dylan Cozens ended it with a shorthanded goal 3:13 into overtime to give Canada a 4-3 victory.
What to Watch
Where do we begin with this Canadian team? Hart Trophy? Six of them. ArtRoss Trophy? Seven of them. And that just covers off Crosby and Connor McDavid (with one Hart for Nathan MacKinnon). The top four scorers in the NHL at the Olympic break? One (McDavid), two (MacKinnon) and four (Celebrini) are here. Stanley Cup champions? How about 23 Cups from 16 players. But let’s be honest—this team starts and ends with its heart and soul: Crosby. The first man to ever captain Canada at two Olympics (he also wore the ‘C’ in 2014), Crosby has played 66 games for his country since his first international appearance at the 2003 Junior World Cup, collecting 84 points (37-47—84) across 23 years. His trophy case includes gold medals at the Olympics (2010, 2014), World Juniors (2005) and Men’s Worlds (2015), and championships at the World Cup (2016) and 4 Nations Face-Off (2025).
Less than half of the Czech roster—12 of 25—plies its trade in the National Hockey League, although most who are based in Europe have had a taste of the NHL at one time or another. The big name is David Pastrnak; the Boston Bruins winger ranks sixth in the NHL in points (71) and seventh in assists (49) at the break, recording 17 more points than the next highest-scoring Bruin. Roman Cervenka will wear the ‘C’; the 40-year-old—whose NHL career consisted of 39 games with the Calgary Flames in 2012-13—has a 10-point lead atop the Czech Extraliga scoring race, posting 56 points (17-39—56) in 40 games. And there’s something to be said for experience. Of the 25 players on the roster, 17 were on the ice in Prague when the Czechs won a home-ice gold at the 2024 IIHF World Championship.
A Look Back
Since the dissolution of Czechoslovakia in 1993, Canada and Czechia have faced off six times at the Olympic Winter Games, with the Canadians winning three (with one tie).
The first meeting was in the quarterfinals at the 1994 Games in Lillehammer, when Paul Kariya scored the overtime winner to send Canada to the semis, and both Czech victories came in shootouts (including the 1998 semifinals, but we don’t talk about that one…).
All-time record: Canada leads 3-2-1 (1-2 in OT/SO)
Canada goals: 18
Czechia goals: 16
Today in Olympic History: February 11
Big line combines for 17 points, Cadieux gets two to beat U.S. and Canada scores five on the PP
David Brien
February 11, 2026
Previous days: Feb. 6 (https://www.hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/news/today-in-olympic-history-february-6-2026-oly) | Feb. 7 (https://www.hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/news/today-in-olympic-history-february-7-2026-oly) | Feb. 8 (https://www.hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/news/today-in-olympic-history-february-8-2026-oly) | Feb. 9 (https://www.hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/news/today-in-olympic-history-february-9-2026-oly) | Feb. 10 (https://www.hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/news/today-in-olympic-history-february-10-2026-oly)
2006 – CANADA 16, ITALY 0 (https://www.hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/team-canada/women/olympics/2006/schedule-results/feb-11-can-ita)
Canada’s big line was its big line against the host Italians, with Gillian Apps, Cherie Piper and Hayley Wickenheiser combining for 17 points in the one-sided victory.
Wickenheiser led the way with a hat trick and three assists, Piper had a goal and five assists, and Apps finished with two goals and three assists for the Canadians, who opened defense of their Olympic gold medal with a win over the host country.
“Apps and Wick were two of my favourite linemates to play with,” Piper says. “It was easy to play with them. Our skill sets complimented each other and we were able to create lots of offence, but also take care of our defensive responsibilities.”
After Caroline Ouellette owned the first period, scoring a hat trick in the first 6:53 to help Canada to a 5-0 lead after one, Piper’s line took over in the second; she picked up a goal and two assists in the frame as the Canadians led 9-0 after two.
Piper picked up her fourth and fifth assists in the third period, and Apps added her two goals in the final frame.
In total, 11 different players scored goals and 15 had at least a point, while Kim St-Pierre needed to make just five saves for the shutout, including just two over the final 40 minutes.
When asked about the Torino crowd’s reaction to such a one-sided game, Piper remembers: “The Italian crowd was very gracious. They were cheering for them as well as cheering for us when we had nice plays.”
Other Games
1968 – Canada scored twice in the third period to erase a 2-1 deficit and beat the United States 3-2. Ray Cadieux had a pair of goals to pace the Canadian offence in Grenoble, France.
1984 – Darren Lowe, Craig Redmond and Dave Gagner scored goals in a span of 9:55 to help Canada fight back from a one-goal deficit after two periods and knock off Finland 4-2. Bruce Driver had the other goal for the Canadians.
1998 – Danielle Goyette opened and closed the scoring for Canada, and Nancy Drolet added a goal and an assist to lead Canada over Sweden 5-3 for its third consecutive win in Nagano, Japan.
2002 – Canada debuted its black heritage jersey, scoring five times on the power play in a 7-0 tournament-opening win over Kazakhstan. Hayley Wickenheiser and Vicky Sunohara scored two goals each for the Canadians, while Danielle Goyette had a goal and two assists.
2018 – Rebecca Johnson and Melodie Daoust scored a pair of goals apiece and Ann-Renée Desbiens stopped all 18 shots she faced in her Olympic debut as Canada blanked the Olympic Athletes from Russia 5-0 in the preliminary-round opener in PyeongChang. Marie-Philip Poulin—in her first Olympics as captain—picked up three assists.
2022 – Canada eased past Sweden in the quarterfinals, getting hat tricks from Brianne Jenner and Sarah Fillier, and four assists apiece from Marie-Philip Poulin and Sarah Nurse. The Canadians scored early and often, taking a 9-0 lead before the game’s midway mark. Emerance Maschmeyer earned the shutout with an 11-save effort.
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Today in Olympic History: February 10
Lindros racks up four points, women score late to beat Finns and men open with win in Beijing
Wendy Graves
February 10, 2026
Previous days: Feb. 6 (https://www.hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/news/today-in-olympic-history-february-6-2026-oly) | Feb. 7 (https://www.hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/news/today-in-olympic-history-february-7-2026-oly) | Feb. 8 (https://www.hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/news/today-in-olympic-history-february-8-2026-oly) | Feb. 9 (https://www.hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/news/today-in-olympic-history-february-9-2026-oly)
1992 – CANADA 6, SWITZERLAND 1
Eric Lindros announced his arrival in Albertville, scoring twice and adding two helpers as Canada defeated Switzerland. After an under-the-radar performance in Canada’s first game of the Games two nights earlier, Lindros—still a few weeks shy of his 19th birthday—made his physical presence felt with several big hits.
Canada also got two goals from Joe Juneau and one each from Gord Hynes and Wally Schreiber.
Lindros had been drafted by the Quebec Nordiques the previous spring, but refusing to sign with the NHL team, he joined the national team instead. His first of eight career Olympic goals came on the power play just over three minutes in when he powered his way to the net to deflect Juneau’s initial shot.
His physical presence was a game-changer. “Eric was a big, strong kid,” says Hynes. “He was strong below the hash marks and in front of the net, and had loads of presence that everybody else was concerned about.”
Three goals in under three minutes early in the second broke the game open. Juneau scored his second late in the period to give Canada a 5-0 after 40 minutes over an opponent they admittedly knew little about before watching video the day before. “We certainly didn’t go in blind,” says Hynes. “[Coach Dave] King and his staff had us super well prepared.”
The Swiss broke up Sean Burke’s shutout in the opening minute of the third, before Hynes finished off the scoring in the closing minutes of the game with a slap shot that beat the goalie glove side.
The extra media attention that followed Lindros was not unwelcomed by his teammates. “Back then the Canadian Olympic Team didn’t have the big limelight like it does today with the NHL players going to the Olympics,” says Juneau. “When we have Sean Burke and then Eric Lindros joining the team, it brought a lot of positives to our team on and off the ice.”
And the Games, overall, gave Juneau an experience he still appreciates. “Even though I played 13 years in the NHL and went to Stanley Cup Final twice, the Olympic Games in 1992 are the highlight of my hockey years as a player.”
Other Games
1936 – In one of the greatest upsets in Olympic hockey history, Great Britain defeats Canada 2-1, and hands the four-time defending champion its first-ever Olympics loss. Edgar Brenchley beats goaltender Dinty Moore for the game-winner with only 72 seconds left.
2014 – Meghan Agosta, Jayna Hefford and Rebecca Johnston score in a span of 7:09 in the third period to blow open a scoreless game and send Canada to a 3-0 win over Finland. Shannon Szabados makes 14 saves to record the Canadians’ second-straight shutout.
2022 – Alex Grant, Ben Street and Daniel Winnik score goals 5:36 apart in the first period to lead Canada to a 5-1 win over Germany in the preliminary-round opener in Beijing. Street finishes with a goal and an assist, and Kent Johnson and Eric O’Dell contribute two helpers apiece to help the Canadians get a small measure of revenge over the Germans after their semifinal loss in 2018.
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Today in Olympic History: February 9
Muller becomes youngest to score, Mott nets four and Rhéaume blanks China
David Brien
February 09, 2026
Previous days: Feb. 6 (https://www.hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/news/today-in-olympic-history-february-6-2026-oly) | Feb. 7 (https://www.hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/news/today-in-olympic-history-february-7-2026-oly) | Feb. 8 (https://www.hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/news/today-in-olympic-history-february-8-2026-oly)
1984 – CANADA 8, AUSTRIA 1
Being the youngest to ever play for Canada at an Olympic Winter Games wasn’t enough for Kirk Muller, he needed to be the youngest to score a goal, which he did—two, in fact—to lead Canada over Austria.
One day after his 18th birthday, Muller scored the eventual game-winner on the power play 12 minutes into the first period, and made it 3-0 just 13 seconds into the second; that goal remains the third-fastest to start a period in Canadian Olympic history.
“We had a great group of guys,” Muller recalls. “We were young and had a good mix of both junior and college guys bonding together quickly. We all had the same passion and shared the same goal; to do well over at the Olympics.
“Back then Carey Wilson and Pat Flatley were sort of the veteran guys because they had some experience playing university hockey down in the States and all. It’s funny to say that those were veterans since they were only 20-something years old.”
Wilson had a goal and an assist in the win over Austria, while Flatley added a helper for the Canadians, who scored the game’s first six goals.
Dave Donnelly, Bruce Driver, Dave Tippett, Dave Gagner and Craig Redmond had the other goals for Canada, which won its second game in as many days to open the Games in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia.
Muller, now the head coach of the Carolina Hurricanes, remembers the 1984 Olympics as a stepping stone towards developing his skills as both a player and coach. “Dave King was ahead of his time in many of his coaching techniques. He was big on the X’s and O’s, video and training methods.”
When asked if he thought any Canadian hockey player would ever take part in the Olympics at a younger age than him, Muller chuckled. “It’s hard to rule it out because there’s always going to be that next superstar that will roll along and make it hard not to include him.”
Other Games
1932 – Canada blanked Poland for the second time in three days in the four-team double round robin, scoring a 10-0 win to improve to a perfect 5-0 in Lake Placid. Stanley Wagner earned the shutout in his first Olympic start.
1936 – Canada beat Austria 5-2 and ran its unbeaten streak at the Olympics to 20 games. Canada won its third straight at these Games without taking a penalty.
1948 – Murray Dowey recorded his third straight shutout—and fifth of the Games—as Canada defeated
