Canada at Milano Cortina 2026: Maltais opens medal count as hockey adjusts

Canada’s first podium moment at Milano Cortina 2026 arrived Saturday, February 7, when speedskater Valérie Maltais captured bronze in the women’s 3,000 meters to put the team on the medal table in the opening weekend of the Winter Games. The result comes as Canada’s early storyline also includes roster shuffles in men’s hockey and health precautions in the women’s tournament after illness-related disruptions.

Canada’s first medal at Milano Cortina 2026

Maltais won bronze in the women’s 3,000m with a time of 3:56.93 at the speed skating venue in Milan. Italy’s Francesca Lollobrigida took gold in an Olympic-record 3:54.28, with Norway’s Ragne Wiklund second in 3:56.54.

For Maltais, it marked her first individual Olympic medal and added another layer to a rare résumé that already included a long-track team pursuit gold from the 2022 Winter Games, plus an earlier short-track relay medal. Canada also had another strong finish in the same race, with Isabelle Weidemann placing fifth in 3:59.24.

Figure skating team event: Canada starts in fifth

Canada opened the Games with the figure skating team event underway, sitting fifth after the rhythm dance, pairs short program, and women’s short program. That position matters because only the top five nations after the men’s short program advance to the final phase.

The men’s short program is the next pressure point for Canada’s team-event hopes, with the country needing to stay inside the cut line to keep a medal run alive in the second phase.

Women’s hockey faces illness disruption

The women’s hockey tournament has already required contingency planning after a stomach illness affected multiple teams. Finland’s opener against Canada was postponed after a large portion of the Finnish roster was placed in quarantine, and the team later returned to play with most of its group available.

Switzerland also dealt with illness concerns and spent time in isolation while being monitored before returning to competition. The situation has pushed teams to tighten hygiene routines and reduce customary contact, including avoiding handshakes in some cases, as organizers emphasized a focus on containing isolated cases.

For Canada, the practical impact is scheduling and preparation: early-round rhythm can be disrupted even if a team remains healthy, because opponents may arrive under unusual circumstances and game plans can change with short notice.

Men’s hockey roster changes before tournament play

Canada’s men’s hockey roster has also shifted early. Seth Jarvis was added to the roster pending approval, replacing Brayden Point, who was ruled out because of injury. The move reflects how quickly teams can pivot at the Winter Games, where timing and travel compress the normal replacement process.

Canada’s broader men’s hockey outlook is being watched closely as the tournament opens, with lineup discussions focusing on balancing elite scoring talent with defensive responsibility and goaltending stability in a short-format competition.

What to watch in the next 48 hours

Canada’s early medal pace will be shaped by a mix of speed events and team sports, with several storylines moving at once:

• Speed skating momentum: Maltais’ bronze is a tone-setter for the long-track group, with more medal chances to follow as distances stack quickly in the schedule.

• Figure skating cut line: The team-event placement fight is immediate, with advancement on the line in the next segment.

• Hockey volatility: Roster changes and health precautions can swing game flow early, especially in short tournaments where one result can reshape the bracket.

As the Games move into the full slate of competition, Canada’s next headlines are likely to come from the high-frequency sports—skating, skiing, and sliding events—while both hockey programs settle into a tournament routine shaped as much by logistics as by talent.

Sources consulted: Canadian Olympic Committee; Hockey Canada; Associated Press; Reuters