Following a strong performance in Group A, Team Canada has moved one step closer to winning the coveted gold medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan.
Captain Sidney Crosby achieved a historic milestone by becoming Canada’s all-time leading scorer in Olympic competition involving NHL players before leaving the team’s quarterfinal against Czechia with a lower-body injury. Meanwhile, Connor McDavid took over the tournament scoring lead with an outstanding performance.
With a roster featuring Nathan MacKinnon, Macklin Celebrini and Cale Makar, Canada outscored its opponents 20-3 over three games, reinforcing its status as the frontrunner to regain the gold medal.
While Canada had a relatively smooth path through the group stage, the intensity is about to increase significantly.
Canada was taken to overtime by Czechia, with the nation holding its breath. However, Mitch Marner delivered in a big way, scoring on a backhand to secure a 4-3 win and send Team Canada to the next round.
Here’s who Team Canada plays next.
MORE 2026 OLYMPICS: Live medal tracker | Viewer’s guide | Day-by-day schedule
Olympic hockey bracket 2026
Canada, the United States, Slovakia, and Finland have secured the top four seeds and received byes directly to the quarterfinals.
These eight teams are playing in a qualification playoff to decide the last four spots in the race for gold.
| Game | Time (ET) | Arena |
| (3) Slovakia 6, Germany 2 | 6:10 a.m. | Santagiulia Arena |
| (1) Canada 4, Czechia 3 | 10:40 a.m. | Santagiulia Arena |
| (4) Finland vs. Switzerland | 12:10 p.m. | RHO Arena |
| (2) USA vs. Sweden | 3:10 p.m. | Santagiulia Arena |
MORE: Day-by-day TV, streaming schedule for 2026 Winter Olympics
Who will Canada play next in hockey?
Now that Canada won its quarterfinal match against Czechia on Wednesday, they will advance to the semifinals on Friday.
Canada’s upcoming opponent will be determined by the results of the other quarterfinals, as the highest remaining seeds face the lowest remaining seeds in the semifinals.
As the #1 overall seed, Canada is positioned on the opposite side of the bracket from the #2 seed, the United States, so the two rivals can only meet in the Gold Medal Game if both advance that far.
MORE: Updated medal count at 2026 Olympics
How does the Olympic hockey bracket work?
The 2026 Olympic men’s hockey tournament consists of 12 countries divided into three groups of four for the initial round-robin stage.
The winners of each group, along with the highest-ranked second-place team, automatically advance to the quarterfinals. The other eight teams are ranked 5th through 12th and compete in a single-elimination playoff, with the winners advancing to join the top seeds in the quarterfinals.
To facilitate the most competitive matchups in the later stages, the IIHF reseeds the four semifinalists according to their preliminary-round rankings. This reseeding pairs the highest remaining seed against the lowest to determine who will compete in the gold medal game.
MORE: USA men’s hockey schedule
Olympic hockey schedule 2026
Feb. 18: Men’s Quarterfinals
| Game | Time (ET) | Arena |
| (3) Slovakia 6, Germany 2 | 6:10 a.m. | Santagiulia Arena |
| (1) Canada 4, Czechia 3 | 10:40 a.m. | Santagiulia Arena |
| (4) Finland vs. Switzerland | 12:10 p.m. | RHO Arena |
| (2) USA vs. Sweden | 3:10 p.m. | Santagiulia Arena |
Feb. 19: Women’s Medal Games
| Game | Time (ET) | Arena |
| Bronze Medal: Sweden vs. Switzerland | 8:40 a.m. | Santagiulia Arena |
| Gold Medal: USA vs. Canada | 1:10 p.m. | Santagiulia Arena |
Feb. 20: Men’s Semifinals
| Game | Time (ET) | Arena |
| Semifinal 1 (TBD vs. TBD) | 10:40 a.m. | Santagiulia Arena |
| Semifinal 2 (TBD vs. TBD) | 3:10 p.m. | Santagiulia Arena |
Feb. 21: Men’s Bronze Medal Game
| Game | Time (ET) | Arena |
| Bronze Medal Game (TBD vs. TBD) | 2:40 p.m. | Santagiulia Arena |
Feb. 22: Men’s Gold Medal Game
| Game | Time (ET) | Arena |
| Gold Medal Game (TBD vs. TBD) | 8:10 a.m. | Santagiulia Arena |
