2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics: Preliminary Rounds
Eight Golden Knights represented their countries in the preliminary rounds at the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics. Head Coach Bruce Cassidy will also be on the bench for Team Canada as an assistant coach.
On Wednesday, Feb. 11, Rasmus Andersson and Team Sweden opened the competition against Italy.
Andersson helped Sweden win their first game of the Olympics, 5-2.
On Thursday, Feb. 11, Akira Schmid represented Team Switzerland as they battled France. Mark Stone, Mitch Marner and Shea Theodore hit the ice for Team Canada against Tomas Hertl and Team Czechia. Jack Eichel and Noah Hanifin then competed for Team USA against Latvia.
Marner and Stone connected for a goal in their first appearance on Olympic ice in Canada’s 5-0 victory over Czechia.
Eichel picked up a pair of assists in the 5-1 win for Team USA.
Team Switzerland also found a 4-0 victory over France.
On Friday, Feb. 13, Andersson and Team Sweden faced Finland, and Hertl and Team Czechia battled France. Stone, Marner, Theodore and Team Canada played against Schmid and Team Switzerland.
Schmid started in the net for Switzerland in his Olympic debut against Canada.
Finland beat Sweden 4-1, while Tomas Hertl and Czechia won against France, 6-3. Stone, Marner, Theodore and Team Canada found a 5-1 victory over Switzerland.
On Saturday, Feb. 14, Andersson and Team Sweden faced Slovakia, and Eichel, Hanifin and Team USA played against Denmark.
Eichel scored his first Olympic goal during the matchup.
Seven minutes later, Hanifin also scored his first Olympic goal.
Eichel and Hanifin lifted Team USA to a 6-3 win over Denmark.
Team Sweden beat Slovakia 5-3.
On Sunday, Feb. 15, seven Golden Knights competed in the last day of preliminary rounds. Schmid and Team Switzerland battled Hertl and Team Czechia. Stone, Marner, Theodore and Team Canada faced France. Finally, Eichel, Hanifin and Team USA played against Germany.
Stone scored a shorthanded goal in the contest. He became the eldest skater to score a shorthanded goal during an Olympic matchup that included NHL players for Team Canada.
Team Canada went on to beat France 10-2, while Team USA found a 5-1 victory over Germany. Schmid and Team Switzerland won in overtime against Czechia, 4-3.
All eight Golden Knights and their respective nations moved on to the next rounds of competition. Team Canada won group A (first seed), and Team USA won group C (second seed).
In the playoff round:
No. 5 Switzerland will face No. 12 Italy
No. 8 Czechia will battle No. 9 Denmark
No. 7 Sweden will play against No. 10 Latvia
By: Katie Freter
