The 2026 Olympic Winter Games men's hockey tournament advances to the quarterfinal round on Wednesday, with eight teams vying for semifinal spots in Milano Cortina. Four tight contests feature top NHL talent, including Canada against Czechia and the United States facing Sweden. Writers and analysts predict competitive games with potential upsets.
The men's hockey tournament at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina has reached the quarterfinal stage, narrowing the field to eight teams after the preliminary and qualification rounds. The four games are scheduled for Wednesday, with a trip to the semifinals on Friday at stake for the winners. The bronze medal game follows on Saturday, and the gold medal contest concludes the tournament on Sunday.
The matchups, seeded based on group play, include (3) Slovakia versus (6) Germany at 6:10 a.m. ET in Santagiulia Arena; (1) Canada versus (8) Czechia at 10:40 a.m. ET in Santagiulia Arena; (4) Finland versus (5) Switzerland at 12:10 p.m. ET in Rho Arena; and (2) United States versus (7) Sweden at 3:10 p.m. ET in Santagiulia Arena.
Slovakia earned a bye after topping a tough Group B that included Finland and Sweden, highlighted by a late goal in a 5-3 loss to Sweden that secured the tiebreaker. Forward Juraj Slafkovsky of the Montreal Canadiens has been a standout. Germany advanced with a 5-1 win over France, powered by Edmonton Oilers star Leon Draisaitl, Ottawa Senators' Tim Stutzle, and Buffalo Sabres' JJ Peterka on the same line at times.
Canada, undefeated in the preliminary round, faces Czechia after a 5-0 preliminary win over them. Czechia forward Martin Necas, with seven points in the tournament, joked post-qualification win over Denmark: “We let them win the first one because we knew we were not going to win two in a row against Canada.” Teammate David Pastrnak urged aggression: “It might be the best team ever so maybe we have to put the respect aside a little bit and try to take their game to them.”
Finland, the defending Olympic champions from 2022 (without NHL players), meets Switzerland, which has back-to-back World Championship silvers. Both nations often exceed expectations despite smaller populations.
The United States, co-favorites with Canada, seeks revenge against Sweden after a 2-1 loss in the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off, where key players rested. Forward Dylan Larkin noted: “The Sweden game, we were sick, and the Canada game, we were banged up. It’s good that everyone’s feeling good going into the quarters.”
Predictions vary: The Hockey News forecasts Slovakia over Germany 4-2, Canada over Czechia 4-0, Switzerland over Finland 5-4, and the U.S. over Sweden 3-2 in overtime. NHL.com writers anticipate epic battles across all games.
