Canadian Hockey Teams' Olympic Matchups Announced for Milan-Cortina Games

The Canadian men's and women's hockey teams are gearing up for their respective Olympic competitions in Milan-Cortina, Italy. The men's team will commence their tournament on February 12 with a match against Czechia, while the women will kick off their gold medal defense on February 5 against Finland. This event marks a significant return of NHL players to the Olympic Games for the first time since 2014, when Canada achieved a victory over Sweden for the gold medal in Sochi, Russia.

The men's hockey team has additional group stage games scheduled against Switzerland on February 13 and France on February 15, all taking place at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena, which has a seating capacity of 14,000. Meanwhile, the women's team will play their games in the Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena, starting with Switzerland on February 7, followed by the Czech Republic on February 9, and concluding with a match against their longtime rival, the United States, on February 10 in the Santagiulia Arena. The women triumphed over the U.S. in the recent 2022 Beijing Olympics, winning the gold medal with a close score of 3-2.

Following the group matches, the women's quarterfinals will take place between February 13 and 14, leading into the semifinals on February 16, with the medal games scheduled for February 19. For the men's team, the playoff qualification round will occur on February 17, followed by the quarterfinals on February 18, semifinals on February 20, and the crucial bronze and gold medal games on February 21 and 22, respectively. Given the six-hour time difference, Canadian viewers can anticipate watching these games scheduled for late morning or early afternoon Eastern Time.

The International Ice Hockey Federation released the schedules shortly after the men's tournament teams announced their initial player selections. Hockey Canada has named six standout players for their men's roster, including stars like Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid, with further roster details expected to finalize early next year. The women’s team will consist of 23 players, with selections made based on training camps and performances in the upcoming Professional Women's Hockey League season.