Team Canada is set to face Switzerland on day three of Men's hockey action at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics.
This comes one day after Canada defeated Czechia 5-0, with Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid putting together an impressive performance in his Olympic debut.
Game Information
- Puck Drop: 3:10 PM EST
- Canadian record: 1-0-0
- Swiss record: 1-0-0
Did you know?
Canada has faced the Swiss three times in past Olympics, and came away with the victory twice. It's a theme that carries through virtually all of the international play between the two nations. Canada holds the advantage in terms of games won, but it's closer than you might think.
At 16-11, a victory against the mountainous yodeling nation of Switzerland is far from guaranteed when the two meet. Perhaps most surprising is the record in World Championship games, where both countries have won 50 percent of the time.
3 Familiar Faces
There are a number of players NHL fans will recognize on the Swiss roster:
- Kevin Fiala has scored 18 goals, 22 assists 40 points in 56 games with the Los Angeles Kings - a lock for 20 or more goals in any NHL season, Fiala is a scoring threat that Canadian defenders will need to keep their eyes on.
- Nico Hischier, the New Jersey Devils captain has scored 19 goals, 23 assists, 42 points in 57 games - With a nearly identical stat line to Fiala, the combination of these two offensive players should mean Switzerland is able to do more than simply defend.
- Roman Josi, the star defender with the Nashville Predators is on fire this season scoring 11 goals, 28 assists, 39 points in 45 games - A solid defender with 96 and 85 point seasons on his résumé, Josi is going to play big minutes against the Canadian superstars. That time spent on defence may limit his offensive opportunities, but adding his name to the others above suggests Canada should avoid the penalty box in this game.
What Team Canada can expect
The players above aren't the only NHLers on the Swiss roster. Names like Nino Niederreiter, and Timo Meier are familiar as well, and the Swiss players generally play a very structured game, limiting errors and capitalizing on opportunities. Canada's incredible depth should see them through to a victory. The Swiss absolutely cannot afford to spend extended time against Canada's No. 1 Powerplay unit, and even 5 on 5, they can't be expecting a shutout.
The pressure Canada is capable of creating by rolling out stars like McDavid, Nathan Mackinnon, Sidney Crosby, Macklin Celebrini, and Cale Makar etc. again and again should put Switzerland on its heels. The most likely result of that will be goals or penalties, and we've already noted how lethal Canada's powerplay should be. If the defensive side remains as solid as it was in Game one versus Czechia, Canada should be able to put another one in the win column, putting them one win closer to capturing a gold medal.