Tom Wilson ejected after fight as Canada storms past France at Olympics
MILAN — Tom Wilson was ejected late in Canada's 10-2 rout of France on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026 (ET), after dropping the gloves to defend teammate Nathan MacKinnon. The physical intervention and subsequent removal underscored that, even at the Olympics where fighting is rare and formally penalized, some contests still boil over.
Retaliation follows high hit on MacKinnon
The sequence began when France's Pierre Crinon delivered a forearm to the head of MacKinnon in the third period. MacKinnon went down and required a moment on the bench before returning, clearly displeased with the contact. Crinon received a two-minute minor for the play and apologized on-ice.
Wilson, a 31-year-old power forward, confronted Crinon shortly after and the two engaged in a fight that drew immediate ejections. Under International Ice Hockey Federation rules, fighting is penalized with a game misconduct, so both players were removed from the remainder of the matchup. With the result already decided, Wilson missed only the final seven minutes.
Teammates rallied around Wilson's reaction. "Willy just finishes a check and the guy jumps him, and Willy's just protecting himself, " star forward Connor McDavid said. "That's the type of guy he is, type of teammate he is. Nothing but respect for him. " Veteran defenseman Drew Doughty added that stepping up for teammates is part of Wilson's game.
Gordie Howe hat trick and team dynamics
Wilson's night was not defined solely by the fight. He recorded a goal and an assist earlier in the game, completing a rare Gordie Howe hat trick—goal, assist and a fight—before his ejection. The winger has been deployed for both his physical presence and puck-retrieval ability and has seen strong offensive production at the club level this season.
Coach Jon Cooper played down the incident's significance in the context of tournament play. "We're used to a lot more than that happening, so it was pretty harmless in the grand scheme of things, " he said, noting that the play represented Wilson sticking up for his teammates.
Other roster veterans praised Wilson's role in the locker room. Sam Bennett emphasized that the team values players who bring energy and protect their colleagues. Goaltender Jordan Binnington, known for his feisty on-ice demeanor, said the altercation was part of what hockey can be.
Implications for the tournament and next steps
While fighting carries stiffer consequences in international play than in the NHL—where it is typically a five-minute major—IIHF rules allow for an additional one-game suspension beyond the game misconduct. Tournament officials opted not to levy further discipline in this case, clearing Wilson for Canada’s next game; Crinon remains eligible for France’s upcoming match in the qualifying round.
The result left Canada finishing the preliminary stage with three wins and a plus-17 goal differential. The lopsided scoreline and the visible protection of star players like MacKinnon and McDavid signaled Canada’s dual emphasis on skill and physicality as it advances in the Olympic bracket.
MacKinnon, still irked by the hit but appreciative of Wilson’s intervention, summed up the mood succinctly: "That guy obviously didn't want to fight Tom. He just wanted to wrestle. I wouldn't want to fight Tom either. "
For now, the episode adds a spicy footnote to Canada’s dominant showing, reminding observers that even in international competition—where on-ice enforcement discourages fisticuffs—old-school protections and instant reactions remain part of the game's fabric.
