Canadian men open 2026 Olympic hockey tournament against Czechs, women versus Finland

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The Canadian men’s hockey team will open the Olympic Games against Czechia and the women against Finland.

The International Ice Hockey Federation released the hockey schedules for the Winter Games in Milan-Cortina, Italy on Wednesday.

Canada’s women start defence of the gold medal Feb. 5 against the Finns.

The Canadian men get going Feb. 12 versus the Czechs as NHL players return to the Olympic Games for the first time since 2014, when Canada beat Sweden for gold in Sochi, Russia.

Canada faces Switzerland on Feb. 13 and concludes group play Feb. 15 against France in the 14,000-seat Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena.

The Canadian women meet the Swiss on Feb. 7 and the Czechs on Feb. 9 in the 5,700-seat Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena before capping Group A against archrival U.S. on Feb. 10 in Santagiulia Arena.

Canada beat the United States 3-2 for the gold medal in Beijing in 2022.

The women’s quarterfinals Feb. 13-14 in Milan are followed by the semifinals Feb. 16 and medal games Feb. 19.

The men’s playoff qualification round is Feb. 17 followed by the Feb. 18 quarterfinals, the Feb. 20 semifinals, the bronze-medal game on Feb. 21 and the gold-medal game Feb. 22.

Canadian games will be televised late morning or early afternoon Eastern Time in Canada because of a six-hour time difference.

The IIHF unveiled the schedules a day after the dozen participating countries in the men’s tournament revealed the first six players chosen to their respective 25-man rosters.

Hockey Canada declared forwards Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, Brayden Point, Sam Reinhart and defenceman Cale Makar its first half-dozen. The rest of the roster will be finalized early next year.

Women’s rosters will be 23 players. Hockey Canada will choose its lineup through training camps and performances by players in the Professional Women’s Hockey League next season.