Team Canada Enters Olympics as Group A Favorite

The men’s hockey tournament at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games is just one day away. Twelve nations are vying for the ultimate prize of Olympic gold, with some having a better shot than others.

The tournament’s structure is simple. Three groups of four teams compete in the group stage to determine the seeding for the knockout stage. The group stage is a round-robin that sees each country play the others in its group once. The winner of each group earns a bye, with the best second-place team also getting a bye. The rest of the teams compete in an opening-round contest. From there, it’s a single-elimination bracket, with the winner being adorned with the coveted gold medal.

Group A is made up of four countries with deep hockey history: Canada, Czechia, Switzerland and France. Let’s look at the outlook for each team to see which squad will come out on top in Group A.

Canada

There is no doubt that the favorite to win Group A is Canada. With a roster filled to the brim with NHL talent, much of it at the very top end, it is going to be difficult for any country to take down Team Canada.

Led by the ever-fierce duo of Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon, along with captain Sidney Crosby, the Canadians bring a wealth of international experience to the table on top of their already dominant edge in talent. Add in other stars like Macklin Celebrini and Cale Makar, and it’s easy to see why Canada is not only favored to win Group A, but the entire tournament.

The only glaring weakness — if such a thing even exists — is in the crease, but even that is minimal. Jordan Binnington has been known to come up clutch when the lights are brightest, and Darcy Kuemper and Logan Thompson are also strong netminders. All in all, the Canadians are the behemoth everyone else will attempt to take down. Whether that’s even possible is a question for another day.

Team Canada schedule: Feb. 12 vs. Czechia (10:40 a.m. ET); Feb. 13 vs. Switzerland (3:10 p.m. ET); Feb. 15 vs. France (10:40 a.m. ET)

Czechia

Feb 1, 2026; Tampa Bay, Florida, USA; Boston Bruins right wing David Pastrnak (88) reacts after missing during a shootout in the 2026 Stadium Series ice hockey game against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Czechia’s potential will quickly be tested when it faces Canada in its opening match Feb. 12. Win or lose in that challenging matchup, the Czechs should be a formidable foe for every team in Group A.

With Boston Bruins forward David Pastrnak at the helm alongside Colorado Avalanche forward Martin Necas, Czechia also possesses the NHL talent necessary to compete.

In total, Czechia has accumulated two medals in men’s hockey at the Olympics, with the most recent being a bronze in 2006. It last won gold in 1998. While achieving that same feat in Milan will be an arduous task — especially with Bruins star Pavel Zacha sidelined due to a lower-body injury — a podium finish is not out of the question. Watch out for the Czechs; they might surprise you.

Team Czechia schedule: Feb. 12 vs. Canada (10:40 a.m. ET); Feb. 13 vs. France (10:40 a.m. ET); Feb. 15 vs. Switzerland (6:10 a.m. ET)

Switzerland

Jan 11, 2026; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Nashville Predators defenseman Roman Josi (59) skates with the puck against the Washington Capitals during the first period at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

If the Swiss are to end their 78-year Olympic medal drought — their last medal in men’s ice hockey was a bronze in 1948 — it will be because Nashville Predators defenseman Roman Josi puts the team on his back. Of course, he is not alone. New Jersey Devils center Nico Hischier could be a key piece, along with fellow NHLers Jonas Siegenthaler and Timo Meier.

But it’s not NHL experience alone that will get Switzerland to the podium — it’s chemistry. Nineteen players on the roster also played on the 2025 World Championship team that finished second. Should that cohesion and flow continue in Milan, the Swiss could shock the world.

Team Switzerland schedule: Feb. 12 vs. France (6:10 a.m. ET); Feb. 13 vs. Canada (3:10 p.m. ET); Feb. 15 vs. Czechia (6:10 a.m. ET)

France

Jan 12, 2026; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens left wing Alexandre Texier (85) looks on during warm-up before the game against the Vancouver Canucks at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images | David Kirouac-Imagn Images

The French are the underdogs. Plain and simple.

The only NHL player on the roster is Montreal Canadiens forward Alexandre Texier. His participation in these Olympics marks the first time a player from an NHL team has represented France in men’s ice hockey. France has also never medaled in Olympic hockey.

That underdog status means the French are playing with house money. Any sort of podium finish — which would likely require major contributions from Texier and veteran Edouard Bellemare, the 40-year-old who played 700 NHL games and totaled 138 career points — along with players such as Yohann Auvitu and Stephane Da Costa, would be a stunning surprise. To say that would upset the balance of power in the sport would be an understatement. It would be one of the great stories in Olympic hockey.

But will it happen? Unlikely. With Canada in the group, it is difficult to see a path for France to reach the knockout stage in a position to succeed. Still, it’s fun to dream — and that’s exactly what the French would be doing if they somehow emerged atop Group A.

Team France schedule: Feb. 12 vs. Switzerland (6:10 a.m. ET); Feb. 13 vs. Czechia (10:40 a.m. ET); Feb. 15 vs. Canada (10:40 a.m. ET)

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