Canada’s Speed Overwhelms Czechia in Olympic Opener

The Canadian men’s hockey team entered the 2026 Winter Olympic Games as the far-and-away favorite to take home the gold medal. That assumption, founded on the sound logic that a roster filled to the brim with MVP-caliber talent is simply superior to anything any other country could put on the ice, was proved exactly right after Canada's 5-0 win over Team Czechia on Feb. 12.

What really stood out from the Canadians’ extraordinary effort was their speed. While the Czechs had their fair share of NHL talent on the roster — most notably Boston Bruins star David Pastrnak and Colorado Avalanche forward Martin Necas — they were no match for the skating of Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon and Macklin Celebrini, just to name a few. Watching the Canadians gracefully maneuver their way around the ice was a joy, and something every team in the surely tournament took notice of.

McDavid’s Skating Speed Pops Off the Screen

Feb 12, 2026; Milan, Italy; Connor McDavid of Canada during the warm up before the match against Czechia in a men's ice hockey group A match during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

The best way to describe Connor McDavid, who picked up three points in the dominant victory over Czechia, is as a blur. One second he’s on the blue line; the next, he’s right on top of the goalie, about to put a puck into the back of the net. Even the best defensemen stand little to no chance of getting in his way — he’s just that fast.

McDavid’s speed isn’t just anecdotal; it’s a well-known fact. According to NHL Edge, McDavid’s top skating speed of 24.61 mph is the fastest in the league. Only Utah Mammoth center Logan Cooley and Ottawa Senators defenseman Jake Sanderson come close.

His lightning quickness is especially potent on the power play. Alongside Nathan MacKinnon and Sidney Crosby, McDavid is able to swiftly maneuver his way around defenders with the man advantage. All that space makes it nearly impossible to keep him in front. The best hope opponents have is that he somehow messes up, which isn’t something he’s been prone to doing over the course of his career.

Put simply, McDavid is fast. But he’s also fantastic at handling the puck and facilitating for his teammates. And while these qualities were well known heading into the Olympics, it’s still fun to recognize how cool it is to watch them on the grandest international stage of them all.

Canada’s Depth Turns Speed Into Sustained Pressure

Obviously, pure speed isn’t enough to win hockey games, but it’s a major factor in why Canada will be successful. Against Czechia, it was evident that the talent level on Canada’s roster was superior to that of its opponent. At times, it appeared the Czechs were stuck in metaphorical mud as Canada just whizzed past them and put countless shots on net against goaltender Lukas Dostal. While Dostal was able to keep Czechia in the game for a while, the ever-present attack — built by the depth of the roster — eventually broke through.

Cale Makar to Sidney Crosby to Connor McDavid to Nathan MacKinnon.

Not really sure what you're supposed to do about that.
— Jesse Granger (@JesseGranger_) February 12, 2026

So, as Canada seeks to win its 10th gold medal in men’s ice hockey, it’ll rely on its speed and quickness to wear down opponents. If the game against Czechia is any indication, it appears it’ll have a lot of success doing just that.

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