Tournament 1st with NHL players since 2014
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The men’s hockey tournament at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 will begin Feb. 11 with Team Slovakia playing Team Finland followed by Team Sweden against host Team Italy.
The tournament, the first with NHL players since the 2014 Sochi Olympics, will feature all 12 teams playing three preliminary games in their respective groups, then all 12 moving on to a single-elimination playoff that will conclude with the gold medal game Feb. 22.
Team USA, which is in Group C, will open against Team Latvia on Feb. 12, then play Team Denmark on Feb. 14 and Team Germany on Feb. 15.
Team Canada also plays its first game on Feb. 12 against Team Czechia, faces Team Switzerland the next day and concludes preliminary play against Team France on Feb. 15.
The games will be played at either the Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena or the Rho Ice Hockey Arena in Milano.
On Monday, all 12 countries announced the first six players on their preliminary rosters. Of the 72 players named, 61 are under contract with NHL teams. The two with the most players among the first six are the New Jersey Devils and Florida Panthers.
The Devils are represented by Nico Hischier, Timo Meier and Jonas Siegenthaler (Switzerland), Simon Nemec and Tomas Tatar (Slovakia) and Ondrej Palat (Czechia). The Panthers are represented by Aleksander Barkov (Finland), Sam Reinhart (Canada), Matthew Tkachuk (USA), Nico Sturm (Germany) and Uvis Balinskis (Latvia).
Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 men’s hockey schedule (all times ET):
Group B
Slovakia vs Finland, 10:40 a.m. — Santagiulia Arena
Sweden vs. Italy, 3:10 p.m. — Santagiulia Arena
Group A
Switzerland vs. France, 6:10 a.m. — Santagiulia Arena
Czechia vs. Canada, 10:40 a.m. — Santagiulia Arena
Group C
Latvia vs. United States, 3:10 p.m. — Sanagiulia Arena
Germany vs. Denmark, 3:10 p.m. – Rho Arena
Group B
Finland vs. Sweden, 6:10 a.m. — Santaguilia Arena
Italy vs. Slovakia, 6:10 a.m. — Rho Arena
Group A
France vs. Czechia, 10:40 a.m. — Santagiulia Arena
Canada vs. Switzerland, 3:10 p.m. — Santagiulia Arena
Group B
Sweden vs Slovakia, 6:10 a.m. — Santagiulia Arena
Finland vs. Italy, 10:40 a.m. — Santagiulia Arena
Group C
Germany vs. Latvia, 6:10 a.m. — Rho Arena
USA vs. Denmark, 3:10 p.m. — Santagiulia Arena
Group A
Switzerland vs. Czechia, 6:10 a.m. — Santagiulia Arena
Canada vs. France, 10:40 a.m. — Santagiulia Arena
Group C
USA vs. Germany, 3:10 p.m. — Santagiulia Arena
Denmark vs. Latvia, 3:10 p.m. — Rho Arena
Qualification playoff, 6:10 a.m. — Santagiulia Arena
Qualification playoff, 6:10 a.m. — Rho Arena
Qualification playoff, 10:40 a.m. — Santagiulia Arena
Qualification playoff, 3:10 p.m. — Santagiulia Arena
Quarterfinal — 6:10 a.m. — Santagiulia Arena
Quarterfinal, 8:10 a.m. — Rho Arena
Quarterfinal, 10:40 a.m. — Santagiulia Arena
Quarterfinal, 3:10 p.m — Santagiulia Arena
Semifinal — 10:40 a.m. — Santagiulia Arena
Semifinal — 3:10 p.m. — Santagiulia Arena
Bronze medal game — 2:40 p.m. — Santagiulia Arena
Gold medal game — 8:10 a.m. — Santagiulia Arena
