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Team Canada’s First Game Predictions from the 2026 Winter Olympics versus Team Czechia

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Welcome to our Olympics coverage at Last Word On Hockey, as we bring you predictions for the opening men’s ice hockey match for each of Team Canada and Czechia. Let’s break down some key storylines and stats, and make our best guess at how the game might play out. Be sure to check us out for our complete coverage for the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics right up to the Gold Medal game.

Milano Cortina Olympics Ice Hockey Predictions with Canada and Czechia

Puck Drop: 10:40 a.m. Eastern Standard Time

How to Watch: CBC, CBC Gem, ICI Télé, RDS2, USA TV Network

Venue: Milana Santaguila Arena in Milan, Italy

The rivalry between Czechia and Canada has a long and storied history. In the inaugural Olympic games featuring ice hockey, the 1920 Summer Olympics from Antwerp, Belgium, Canada played Czechoslovakia in the first ever Olympic game for each team. Canada won that one 15-0.

The team from Czechia worked on improving their ice hockey fortunes. Moreover, they would develop into a hockey power, especially early on in the European scene. In 1948, the Olympic games from St. Moritz, Switzerland, Czechoslovakia would earn a 0-0 tie with Canada. Canada would go on to win gold that tournament, but Czechoslovakia would claim silver. At the time, it was their eighth European championship. As the years passed, the team now going by Czechia would continue to prove they were among the elite of the hockey world.

Then come the 1998 Winter Olympics from Nagano, Japan. A team led by Jaromir Jagr and backstopped by what could very well be regarded as the best goalie at the time, Dominik Hasek, would come up against Canada in the semifinals. We don’t have to remind Canadian Olympic and hockey fans what happened next. The Czech Republic team played a smart game, eventually forcing it to a shootout. With Wayne Gretzky waiting on the bench, and Brendan Shanahan failing to find twine, Canada would be eliminated.

One more interesting point is that Czechia has even emerged in the junior game. Just these past World Junior Championships seen them become only the second team ever (besides Russia) to knock out Canada three years in a row. Needless to say, this rivalry is on. Canada does have no intention on taking them lightly, in any way, shape, or form.

Overall, in head-to-head Olympic matchups, Canada is 13-5-2, combining the record when they played as Czechoslovakia. In fact, Canada didn’t suffer its first loss to them in Olympic competition until the 1964 games. Their respective all-time Olympic men’s ice hockey medal count, Canada has nine gold medals, four silvers, and three bronzes, compared to Czechia’s one gold, four silvers, and five bronzes.

The 2026 Canada Olympic Lineup

Where to start with Canada, but with the best. Canada is led by two of the best players in the world in Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon. They are currently one-two in the NHL’s Art Ross Trophy race as league’s top scorer (96 and 93 points, respectively).

Having two of the best scorers on the planet, on the same team together, is a decided advantage. Even the youngster, Macklin Celebrini isn’t too far off their pace. Currently, he’s fourth in NHL scoring with 81. He’s only in his second year in the NHL. For comparison, Czechia does have a top scorer, as David Pastrnak is sixth in the NHL at 71 points. But it just goes to show, that when it comes down to high-end, offensive talent, no one can match Canada.

The Story for the Olympic Team from Czechia

We all know that Pastrnak will be the offensive leader for the team from Czechia. In 2022-23 he netted a career-high 61 goals for the NHL’s Boston Bruins. (If you are wondering, Connor McDavid‘s 64-goal season won the Maurice Richard Trophy for league’s top goal scorer that year.) Moreover, Pastrnak did win the Rocket Richard scoring title one year, in 2019-20, when he tied with Alex Ovechkin with 48.

However, we would like to draw the fan’s attention elsewhere. After all, one guy cannot beat a team, right? One guy to watch out for Canada is Martin Necas. Conversely, it is possible between Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar, the Canadians have him figured out, and should be able to shut him down, if needed. But Necas has speed to burn and amazing puck skills, he can strike at any moment. The Canadian defenders will have to have their head on a literal swivel.

One area that is a bit of an unknown for Czechia is their defence. They are led by Radko Gudas and Filip Hronek, two very solid NHL defencemen. However, beyond that, they don’t have much for top-end defencemen, unlike some of the other tournament favourites. One familiar name for NHL fans is Jan Rutta. Although never a big name, he twice won a Stanley Cup Championship with the Tampa Bay Lightning (2020, 2021). He currently plays in the Swiss League with Geneve.

Olympics Hockey Predictions

Canada is on a mission, and it begins with this game. In terms of best-on-best competition, Canada has been unstoppable, claiming the last four consecutive titles. You have to go back to the 2006 Torino games, when Team Sweden claimed the Gold Medal  to find that last time Canada lost. But hey, worry not oh fellow Canucks, those guys didn’t have Sidney Crosby. This team has him at captain.

The Tenders

It does sounds like Jordan Binnington will be getting the nod for Canada. He was solo in a net yesterday at practice. That was opposed to the other two, Darcy Kuemper and Logan Thompson, who apparently shared the other goal.

One wild card for the Czechia team, is their goaltending. If they play the way they are more than capable of playing, it could be a boost for them.

Lukas Dostal, Karel Vejmelka, and Dan Vladar are all have decent NHL seasons. We think Dostal gets the start, as he is the number on tender, if all things are equal.

We will add our roster disclaimer to please check social media for the latest updates to know for certainty.

Our thoughts are that Canada is too strong. Their players will come out at the highest pace imaginable. You know head coach Jon Cooper. Czechia will prove a worthy opponent in the end, but Canada is too fast and skilled.

Prediction: Canada 5 – Czechia 2

More Group A Preliminary Ice Hockey Predictions with Switzerland and France

Puck Drop: 6:10 a.m. Eastern Standard Time

How to Watch: CBC Gem, SN, ICI Télé, USA TV Network

Venue: Milana Santaguila Arena in Milan, Italy

The Olympics are sure to bring unimaginable levels of excitement, at many different levels and venues. But one sure to top the list will be the Olympic ice hockey arenas.

How About the Story for Switzerland in the 2026 Olympics

Switzerland is a team with high hopes, but not great expectations, does that make sense? No pressure, just go out there and play, for the love of the game. Maybe that’s a description more so of the host Italians, but it does fit for the Swiss, we think given the context.

At the outset of the tournament, many prognosticators would’ve had the likes of USA, Canada, and Sweden in a league of their own. Maybe Finland and Czechia right there at that next tier, too. But hey, as Canada and US fans, we wouldn’t want to unnecessarily motivate anybody. But we digress.

Switzerland does come into this one with plenty of firepower. It will be more of a question of whether they can shift from defensive play to offensive attack enough to generate any real momentum. Names like Kevin Fiala, Nico Hischier, Timo Meier, and Nino Niederreiter provide more than enough talent to fill the opposition net. That’s not to mention a defenceman with a career high of 96 points in an NHL season, along with a Norris Trophy win, Roman Josi.

Their leadership was named today with Fiala taking the captaincy. The alternates will be Andrea Glauser, along with Hischier and Niederreiter.

Switzerland has done a great job of building their home league. Many of their players play in the Swiss League. As a matter of fact, all their players either play in the NHL or professionally in Switzerland. Four members of this team each play for Fribourg-Gotteron and for the ZSC Lions , to lead the way. Sven Andrighetto plays for the ZSC Lions, and is previously an NHL veteran of 216 career regular season games under his belt.

The France Team at the Olympics

France hasn’t played in an Olympics with NHLers since 2002. This tournament will be a great benchmark for their hockey program, as a whole.

France is a team, with not a lot, but definite proud NHL history. This roster features over 1,000 career NHL regular season games among four players. Furthermore, just one of those four players with NHL experience still play in the NHL, Alexandre Texier of the Montreal Canadiens. He’s only the second native of France to ever lace them up for the Habs. Fans would recall Cristobal Huet strapping on the pads.

Predictions

We think Switzerland’s firepower will be too much for the team from France to handle. Yes, we do think France plays a physical game, and contain teams. However, the free flowing attack of Switzerland should be able to outclass them.

Prediction: Switzerland 4 – France 1

Main Photo Credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images

 

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