The 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics are here, and the ice is hotter than ever! With NHL players back in the mix for the first time since 2014, the men's hockey tournament is a must-watch spectacle. The preliminary rounds have wrapped up, and now the real drama begins: a single-elimination playoff leading to the gold medal game on February 22. But here's where it gets controversial—while top seeds Canada, the United States, and Slovakia (along with Finland) get a bye to the quarterfinals, the rest are left to battle it out in a series of high-stakes matchups. And this is the part most people miss: these qualification games are where underdogs can rise and favorites can fall.
Let’s dive into Tuesday’s action-packed schedule, where every puck drop could rewrite Olympic history:
No. 5 Switzerland vs. No. 12 Italy (6:10 a.m. ET; Peacock, CBC Gem, CBC)
Switzerland (1-1-1-0) is riding high after a thrilling 4-3 overtime win against Czechia, with defenseman J.J. Moser (Tampa Bay Lightning) leading the charge as the top-scoring Swiss blueliner in NHL-inclusive tournaments. Italy, however, finished the preliminaries winless (0-0-3-0). But don’t count them out—this isn’t their first Olympic dance with Switzerland. In 2006, they battled to a 3-3 tie in Torino. Will history repeat itself, or will Switzerland’s momentum prove too much?
No. 6 Germany vs. No. 11 France (6:10 a.m. ET; Peacock, CBC Gem, CBC)
Germany (1-0-2-0) enters this matchup on a two-game losing streak, but forward Tim Stutzle (Ottawa Senators) has been a bright spot with four goals. France (0-0-3-0), led by Louis Boudon’s three points, is no pushover. These teams last met in the 1998 Nagano Olympics, where Germany secured a 2-0 victory. Can France flip the script, or will Germany’s experience prevail?
No. 7 Sweden vs. No. 10 Latvia (3:10 p.m. ET; Peacock, CBC Gem, CBC)
Sweden (2-0-1-0) is a force to be reckoned with, boasting an aggressive offense that fired 51 shots against Slovakia and 60 against Italy—a feat unmatched in Olympic history with NHL players. Latvia (1-0-2-0), meanwhile, is clinging to momentum after a 4-2 loss to Denmark. Zemgus Girgensons’ four assists tie a Latvian Olympic record, but Sweden has dominated their past meetings, winning 6-1 in 2006 and 5-3 in 2014. Can Latvia pull off the upset, or will Sweden’s firepower prove unstoppable?
No. 8 Czechia vs. No. 9 Denmark (10:40 a.m. ET; Peacock, CBC Gem, CBC)
Czechia (1-0-1-1) is reeling from a 4-3 overtime loss to Switzerland, but Martin Necas (Colorado Avalanche) has been a standout with five points. Denmark (1-0-2-0) secured its first win of the tournament with a 4-2 victory over Latvia, thanks to Nikolaj Ehlers’ (Carolina Hurricanes) game-winning Olympic debut goal. While Denmark defeated Czechia in the 2022 Beijing Olympics, this is their first NHL-inclusive matchup. Will Denmark’s momentum carry them forward, or will Czechia’s experience tip the scales?
Controversial Question: Are the bye rounds fair, or do they rob the tournament of early excitement? Let us know in the comments—and don’t miss these games, because every second counts on the road to Olympic glory!
