Men’s hockey at the 2026 Winter Olympics: Canada’s schedule, start dates, and how the tournament works in Milan

Men’s hockey at the 2026 Winter Olympics is underway in Milan, with the tournament running Feb 11–22, 2026 ET and the gold medal game set for Sunday, Feb 22. The biggest change driving interest is talent: top professional players are back in the Olympic men’s tournament for the first time in more than a decade, raising both the skill level and the pressure on traditional powers like Canada and the United States.

When does Olympic men’s hockey start in 2026?

The men’s Olympic hockey tournament begins Wednesday, Feb 11, 2026 ET with preliminary-round games in Milan. Canada’s group play opens the next day, giving Team Canada a short runway to settle in before the standings start to squeeze.

Canada men’s hockey Olympic schedule 2026 (all times ET)

Canada is in Group A alongside Switzerland, Czechia, and France, meaning three preliminary games before the bracket phase.

Here are Canada’s confirmed group-stage games in Milan:

• Thu, Feb 12 — Canada vs Czechia, 10:40 AM ET

• Fri, Feb 13 — Canada vs Switzerland, 3:10 PM ET

• Sun, Feb 15 — Canada vs France, 10:40 AM ET

After group play, the tournament shifts quickly into elimination hockey:

• Tue, Feb 17 — Qualification round games (as needed), beginning 6:10 AM ET

• Wed, Feb 18 — Quarterfinals

• Fri, Feb 20 — Semifinals

• Sat, Feb 21 — Bronze medal game, 2:40 PM ET

• Sun, Feb 22 — Gold medal game, 8:10 AM ET

The key practical detail: quarterfinal matchups depend on group results, so Canada’s exact path and game time after Feb 15 won’t be locked until the standings sort out.

Olympic hockey schedule 2026 format: why seeding matters so much

The men’s tournament uses three preliminary groups, then a seeding system that rewards fast starters:

• Each group winner advances directly to the quarterfinals.

• One additional team earns a quarterfinal bye as the best non-group-winner across all groups.

• The remaining eight teams play a qualification round to fill the last four quarterfinal spots.

That structure shapes incentives immediately. A team that finishes first or near-first in its group can avoid an extra do-or-die game, protect its goaltending rotation, and reduce injury risk. For a roster packed with star power, that rest advantage is often the difference between “survive and advance” and “arrive fresh for the medal weekend.”

Canada men’s hockey: leadership, roster pressure, and the Sidney Crosby factor

Canada confirmed Sidney Crosby as captain on Feb 8, 2026 ET, a signal that the team is leaning into experience and calm under playoff-style pressure. The move also highlights how leadership is being treated as a competitive edge in a short tournament where one bad period can end a medal run.

What’s still developing is the full roster picture as the tournament unfolds. Even when names are known, roles are not: the hardest part isn’t assembling elite talent, it’s defining usage. Who starts in net? Who takes defensive-zone faceoffs? Who quarterbacks the power play late in a close game? Those decisions can win the tournament without ever showing up in a box score.

Olympic women’s hockey schedule: quick reference

Women’s hockey in Milan runs Feb 5–19, 2026 ET, with the women’s gold medal game on Thu, Feb 19. That earlier finish creates a second-order effect: it concentrates attention and staffing around the women’s medal round while men’s hockey is still in its group stage, then flips the spotlight fully to the men heading into the final weekend.

How to watch Olympic hockey in Canada and follow results live

To watch men’s Olympic hockey live in Canada, the simplest approach is to use the official Canadian rights-holder coverage on television and the companion streaming options that carry live event feeds, replays, and alternate camera angles.

For fans optimizing their time:

• Prioritize Canada group games and all elimination games.

• Check the official event schedule early each morning ET and again a few hours before puck drop, since venue logistics and broadcast windows can shift.

• Follow live results and medal-standings updates after each session ends to avoid time-zone confusion.

Behind the headline: what to watch next

Men’s Olympic hockey always looks like a talent contest, but it’s really a tournament-management contest. Three triggers will shape the next week:

1. Can Canada secure a quarterfinal bye? If it wins Group A cleanly, it can conserve energy and reveal less tactically.

2. How physical does group play get? Extra contact raises injury risk, and depth becomes decisive.

3. Do underdogs force qualification chaos? A single upset can funnel a favorite into an extra elimination game, changing the entire medal picture.

The takeaway for anyone searching “men’s hockey Olympic schedule” right now: the dates are set, but the drama is in the bracket. Canada’s path will be decided by how it handles those three group games before the tournament turns into sudden death.